Danganronpa: Games of Despair
by au-the-author
Summary: Destiny's Hope Academy has opened it's doors to David and the newest class of bright young talents, while on the other side of the world, despair is setting root in all facets of life. And now,the game of life and death has infiltrated this American academy, proving that no country can escape Enoshima and her dark agenda. Who will fight for hope and who will succumb to despair? OCs
1. Prologue: Before the End

Staring up the looming building that towered over him gave David mixed feelings. Anxiety, fear, yet also longing and excitement. He had no idea what to expect once he would officially begin his studies at Destiny's Hope Academy. He'd be the first of his family to be accepted into such a prestigious academy, and he knew his parents were especially proud of him.

He could remember receiving the acceptance letter, and all the emotion that came with it. He wondered where it had come from since he had never applied, and thought there was some mistake. How could he, one of the most ordinary people he knew (and he had met a lot of boring people), been accepted into this astounding institution just for sitting at a computer all day? The letter termed him the "Super High School Level Web Designer," and he would've laughed at the name if he hadn't realized that this school was completely serious, and completely legit. Of course, he'd heard about the sister academy – Hope's Peak, located all the way in Japan. But this place was fairly new, only having about ten classes before his, and open to mostly American students who were exceptionally talented.

In regards to his "exceptional" talent...sure, he loved what he did, and he did make some money off it, but he'd never think he'd get invited to a school like this just from an eye for detail and mediocre coding. He had many orders from customers all over the world, some of them regular people, others more widely known. He'd even been approached by several organizations, once from the United States government itself (seeking to make their website "pop," as they said). His parents simply assumed it was a hobby, and encouraged it as he was homeschooled and didn't really converse with others that weren't on his computer screen. In fact, his laptop case was tucked under his arm now, nice and snug. David wondered how the school could help cultivate a talent like his, but he didn't dwell on it- he was sure the administrators knew what they were doing.

When he opened the mail that fateful day, his mother had been overjoyed at the news, immediately running to go get his father while David clutched the acceptance letter with shaking hands. The school year would start in roughly a week and he was expected to have an answer by sunset of the next day. He was initially apprehensive, but he warmed to the thought of attending the place. As he knew, social interaction wasn't something he was used to and he had been homeschooled, so he knew it would take some adjusting. But graduating students already had spots open for them in some of the country's most important and glamorous jobs; indeed, to enroll at the school meant guaranteed success in life. It wasn't an opportunity to pass up, even if David didn't acknowledge his talent as being particularly special, or even if he didn't make any friends.

And now he was here, a week later, standing at the front gate. The cool Fall air was cutting harshly at his skin, making him wish he had brought his jacket to cover his arms. He thought casual attire would be fine for the occasion – a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans, with his favorite pair of checkered converse. David wasn't one for glamor, even if it was for one of the best schools in the world.

Speaking of which, he decided it was time to stop gawking and go inside. The entrance ceremony would take place within the next hour. He took a step past the gate and into the school courtyard when he heard a rumbling noise originating from the sky. He looked up to see a black army jet soaring past, on it's way east. It was a peculiar sight for this time of day, but David couldn't ponder it.

That was becuase the jet was the last thing David saw before his world vanished, and he collapsed.

"Where do you think he gets his hair gel?" Voices were pushing into the depths of David's consciousness. This one was light and airy.

"That's really not the thing to be worrying about." Someone with a slightly deeper (but not by much) voice replied.

"But his hair is so curly and-and…whooshy!"

"Peggy, please. Oh look, he's waking up.

David's eyes crept open and he yawned, still half asleep. It didn't fully register to him that he was lying on a cold floor being stared at by two strangers until one of them poked him.

"Oi. Get up."

David finally heard the slightly deeper voice and jumped, knocking his head on a nearby desk in his haste to stand. He rubbed the back of his cranium, groaning as he took an eyeful of the boy and girl watching him. They looked like an odd pair, and David wondered who dressed them. The girl looked young, about 12 or 13, and wore childish clothes to match her childish features. A frilly yellow dress with a poofy skirt and pink leggings, and black hair hanging in two pigtails over her shoulder. Her jade green eyes looked into David's curiously. The boy was much taller than her, but not as tall as David. He had blonde curls and icy blue eyes that seemed to pierce the web designer's soul. His name brand brown sweater vest and tan slacks betrayed his obviously wealthy background. His skinny, crossed arms and pinched mouth betrayed the look of uneasiness in his expression.

"You all right, there? That knock sounded nasty," the boy said. David hadn't yet found the words to say, so he nodded, still rubbing his head. "You looked pretty knocked out anyways. I'm sure a good hit was what you needed to get you up." The boy grinned nervously, showing perfectly square, white teeth.

"Wendell! Hurting yourself doesn't help anyone!" the girl said, placing her hands on her hips and puffing her cheeks.

"Well we found him on the floor when we got here. I'm pretty sure he fell out of the chair, and if that didn't wake him up, then a good hit would've been the only thing-"

"Found me?" David squeaked, finding his voice. Well, not really. He cleared his throat and tried again. "What do you mean? Where am I?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," the boy said, shrugging meekly. David guessed it was another student, and while not showing his uncertainty in this new situation, he still seemed as afraid as David. The girl...not so much. She was casting furtive glances towards the door, looking impatient.

David turned, taking a look at his surroundings. They were in a standard sized classroom, with wooden floors and cream colored walls. One desk, which David had been sitting in, stood in the middle of the room, in front of the teacher's desk, full of papers marked in red ink and textbooks. Some kind of high-tech blackboard hung on the wall behind the desk, and under a clock. David found it strange there were no posters hung up, or other desks for the students to use. But the weirdest thing were the windows.

"You must be confused," the boy spoke. "Trust me, we all are."

David ignored him, lost in his thoughts as he noticed the steel plates reinforced with thick screws that covered the windows. They let no light in, as the ceiling lights that hummed quietly illuminated the entire room. The plates made David's spine go cold: they ominously seemed to whisper to him. _You can't escape,_ he could hear in his mind. _You'll never get out._

It did not feel like Destiny's Hope. It_ couldn't _be.

The girl's whine brought him out of his horrified stupor. He looked at her as she looked towards the door.

"We need to go! I bet the others are back and I want _cake_!" she screamed, bounding out of the class like a bunny on a sugar rush. David raised a brow and the remaining stranger shrugged, yet again.

"If you couldn't tell, that was the Super High School Level Baker. Welcome to Destiny's Hope Academy."

* * *

><p>Wendell led David out of the strange room and into the brightly lit hall, taking him towards the foyer of the school where he claimed the "rest of them" were gathered. David had gotten over his initial shock of being thrust in this anything-but-normal situation, and realized he had never properly introduced himself. He also realized Wendell hadn't either. In fact, the two walked in mutual silence. It was abnormal to David because he was used to a hall full of loud, bustling bodies on their way to class. This was an eerie quiet, one that, as his grandmother would say, was for the dead. Even their footsteps were soft <em>pats<em> on the hard wood floor. They were both walking light.

Soon enough, they found their way to a wide entrance hall, still dimly lit but expansive. The point of interest was the thick, metal doors that made David feel like he was stuck in an oversized safe, and appeared to be the only exit. He wrenched his eyes from it to cease the dread spreading in his stomach and observed his other surroundings. There was a significant number of people interacting with each other, inspecting the walls, or just mulling about. A few of them noticed him, giving smiles, or chose to ignore him. He guessed that they were all fellow Ultimates, based on the look of them. Some were engaged in activities one normally wouldn't see high school students doing in mixed company (one girl was making strange trilling sounds and another kicked at a pillar repeatedly, getting upset it wasn't breaking). There was a huge variety of character and dress in the room: everyone stood out. Some of the outfits were outrageous, as were the owners. And yet, no one was looking particularly enthused to introduce themselves. He turned to his left-Wendell had gone to mingle.

Great.

The girl closest to him, crouched down and currently too focused on a shrub to notice his entrance, pulled out a notebook and began writing in it madly. Her hands were quick, and David wondered what could possibly be so interesting about the plant to write a quick essay on it. He pondered interrupting her so he could give her his name, but he didn't have to think too long. The girl looked up from her pad with a small yelp.

David could finally see her features. She was striking, with long red hair pulled back into a ponytail and amber eyes that seemed to glow. Her white blouse was cleanly pressed, with one button undone and no wrinkle to be seen. Her pleated skirt was black like her tie, which also had a decorative gold trinket on it. Upon closer inspection, David realized it was a tiny, shiny goldfish.

"I didn't see you there!" she said accusingly. Was she blaming him for surprising her, or reprimanding herself for not being more vigilant? David couldn't figure it out. Once again, his words had left him. His eyes flew to her pin.

"Nice fish, "David muttered, cursing his social skills. He was used to e-mails and instant messages from clients. Not flustered teenage girls. "I used to have a fish myself," he said, leaving out the part where it died 2 weeks after purchase.

"Thank you. I suppose," she tucked the notebook into her boot, along with the pencil. There was no telling how she could do that, her footwear hugged her legs tightly. "You must be the last student."

The last? David did a quick count of the other assembled bodies in the room. Sixteen, including himself. This _was_ his class. "Oh," he breathed, not quite sure if he should be relieved or frightened that others like him were in the same situation he was. "I was sleeping. I think."

"We all were," the girl said, a pensive look crossing her face. "You woke up in a classroom alone, right?"

"Well, there was, uh…a guy and his friend-" David stuttered. He was not on his game today. The girl knew this, too.

"That'd be Wendell. We sent him and Peggy to look for you after doing a headcount a few minutes ago. Quite a nap, huh?" she grinned, and David felt a little more relaxed. The girl was shorter than him and smaller than him, but her fierce expressions had intimidated him immediately. By all accounts she'd seemed like she wanted to eat him alive, but now the twinkle in her eye suggested a mischievous soul.

David scratched the back of his head, looking down at the floor. "It's not like I meant to…" he trailed off.

The girl snickered. "It's okay. Well, not really." The thoughtful look came upon her face, yet again. Her eyes watched the vaulted ceiling lazily. "We all woke up in a random classroom."

David perked up. "Everyone here?"

"That's what I said. Some ceremony huh?" the girl smiled, extending a hand. "But I've heard this school isn't known for it's orthodox protocol."

David took it, giving her a firm shake. "I suppose you're right. We're classmates, then?"

"Yep, as stated before. Nice to meet you, David. My name is Cassandra."

David blinked, trying to keep his composure. He was positive he had not told this girl his name yet. Was she a SHSL Psychic? "Uh-"

"-I do prefer to be called Cass though. Cassandra is just my T.V. name."

"Uh-"

Cassandra, or "Cass," as she wanted to be named, tucked a loose strand of her long bangs behind her ear. "I'm a reporter. Apparently a Super Duper one or something like that."

David blinked again, realizing that he had yet to let go of her hand. He jerked it away from her grasp, and she gave a funny look before shrugging.

"Sorry," he muttered, jabbing his now sweaty hands into his pockets. "I don't mean to be rude. I'm not prepared for all this."

Cass placed her hands on her hips. "That's to be expected. You don't really go out much. I could hardly find out any information about you when I started my file."

"File?"

Cass retrieved her notebook, flipping through a few pages before finding what she was looking for. "It's not a legitimate file, obviously. But that's what I call them because they're so good, they might as well be one. A reporter's gotta have her notes."

She handed the book to David, who studied the page curiously. The girl had just about everything on him. His birthday, eye color, height, family members' names, even his blood type! He had forgotten he was AB. "Where'd you get all this?"

"If I told you then I'd have to kill you. A reporter's got contacts, is all I can say." She plucked the book back and stuffed it in her boot. "I was actually going to ask the school if I could make my own little radio show here, to report on school life and whatnot. My first broadcast would be about my fellow classmates!" She gestured to the idle students, only a handful of them registering the fact she was talking about them.

"So you've got the dirt on everyone?" David asked warily. A girl who knew more about him than he did was bound to be trouble.

"Almost everyone. I won't go into details. And it's not _dirt_ – I'm not some trashy gossip magazine. These are hardcore facts." She took a step forward, getting even closer to her prey. "I must say, you were more difficult than most. You hardly leave the house, you're home schooled, not a lot of friends. I had to break out some old tricks just for you."

David furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling defensive. "Maybe it was none of your business."

Cass narrowed her eyes, getting even closer to him. Their noses touched. David stared right back, slightly shaky but not backing down. After a moment, she stepped back, and nodded. "You passed the test."

"What test?"

"The reporter test, dummy! I went pretty easy on you, but you still showed you're not as much of a push-over as you look." Cass beamed, clapping her hands together. "We'll get along great, I just know it!"

David stopped trying to pretend he knew what to expect from this girl.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Whew! First Chapter! This is the first story I've ever posted online, and it's from one of my favorite game universes, so I'm super excited to share it with you guys! We'll meet new characters, have some fun, and experience some despair, too! Upupu...

Alright, update schedule. It may be pretty sporadic at times, but you can count on at least one update a month and, more than likely, at least one every two weeks. I also plan to finish the story to the end, even if there's some long hiatus or pause in updating (which I hope won't happen but, it's a possibility). I'm also making this fanfic heavily audience influenced, meaning I want to have you guys vote on who David can spend his Free Times with, vote on who will die next or who you think the murderer is, or give me any questions, concerns, or comments in PM or when you review! I'm opening this up to everyone, so take advantage of it because every vote counts! (also, we'll meet the rest of the students soon, meaning voting will start soon, too!)

So, this is AU signing off. See you in the next one!

**General Update: Originally this chapter was much shorter, but I decided to combine this one with the second part of the Prologue and added a few things, to get a better flow and also have a bit more relevance. Hope you like it!


	2. Prologue: Before the End p2

**Very important Author's Note below. But enjoy!**

* * *

><p>David was eager to get on with whatever this "entrance ceremony" was, now that all of the students were assembled. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, as he suddenly heard static coming from the foyer intercom, and an unfamiliar voice fill the air.<p>

"Ahem…will all new students go to the gymnasium please?" the voice was high pitched, scratchy, and reminiscent of a child, not to mention totally unexpected. Many confused glances and murmurs were exchanged in the group. No one moved. "That wasn't a suggestion," the voice said again, this time with clear aggravation.

"Who was that?" a red-headed boy with a white suit asked.

"The headmaster?" one girl quipped, stroking a long strand of brown hair absentmindedly.

"I suppose we'll find out once we get there," another girl said, with a bored expression on her face. She took the lead, in her black heels and matching smart suit, towards the gym doors. After a moment's hesitation, the others followed her, Cass and David in the back of the group. Cass looked excited, while David felt gnawing fear pervading his gut. He still felt like something wasn't right, but he was hoping to get some answers soon.

The girl in front reached the doors, throwing them open. The students filed into the gymnasium, looking around at the wide space before their eyes were drawn to the podium on the stage. It was empty, as was the rest of the gym.

"So, where is he?" a boy questioned.

"More like, where is everyone else? I thought the school was supposed to be welcoming us." Wendell said, craning his head and trying to see what lied behind the red curtains on the stage, currently drawn shut. "This isn't much of a ceremony."

David frowned, his eyes gazing over at the steel-plated windows and empty bleacher seats. There were no other students to be seen, or faculty, and he'd bet his computer that the voice on the intercom wasn't the headmaster. It was obvious they weren't in a normal situation, but how abnormal had this become?

David got his answer in the form of a small teddy bear, who appeared on top of the podium.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!" Someone screamed.

A student with bright pink hair covered her eyes. "It looks terrible! "

"Calm yourselves down. It's just a stuffed toy," the girl in the suit said. "Though I was unaware the school had a mascot."

According to David's research, the school _didn't_ have a mascot. This bear was completely new to him. And if it was the mascot, it wasn't a pretty one. Half of its fat body was stark white, the other midnight black, with a jagged grin and glowing red eye on the latter. The eye was the only thing that betrayed the bear's true nature of being more than some simple toy. There was electrical wiring in the thing, and the eye reminded David of a spy camera. Who could be watching them?

"I kind of like it. It has character."

"Why'd they have to make it look so creepy, though?"

"The question is-" Cass spoke up. "-where is the headmaster?"

"I _am_ the headmaster!"

The voice entered the throng, the same voice on the intercom, the same voice that currently sent a chill down David's back. Hearing it in person was worse, because he knew where it came from now. The bear.

There was a stunned silence in the room before a short boy with black hair broke out into a fit of giggles. "This is a joke, right?" He cried, clutching his stomach as he doubled over. "This whole thing has been so trippy! You got us good! Someone call the camera crew and show host! Who knew the school had a sense of humor?"

No one else laughed. They didn't know what to think. The bear pressed a paw to his chin in confusion.

"Eh? A joke? As your headmaster, I must be serious in all conduct! Buuuuut I don't really like that rule! However, this is no joke!"

Cass snorted. "Then you're the joke. There's no way you're the headmaster."

"O 'course I am! Headmaster Monobear! Welcoming you to Destiny's Hope Academy!"

David's eye twitched. Monobear? Who was controlling this thing and why were they making it so insufferable?

The bear jumped from the podium, doing a little flip in the air and landing right in front of the SHSL Baker, who squealed in delight.

"It's even furrier up close! Cuuuuute!" She picked the creature up and gave it a big squeeze, while Monobear flailed his arms.

"Hey! Put me down! This will not be tolerated! I got enough hugs at the zoo!" Begrudgingly, Peggy sat the bear down, and he dusted himself off as if she carried some kind of disease. "I know that I am the cutest thing to ever grace your presence, but you bastards need to understand a thing called personal space! And personal hygiene!"

"How rude. You're a little childish to be the headmaster." The girl in the suit crouched down, examining Monobear's red eye. "Who's controlling you? A 6-year old?"

"Monobear answers to no one! Not even to Momma Bear, rest her hideous soul."

"Well if you're going to be like that, then tell us why the school is virtually empty."

"And why we can't see outside!" A girl in a jogging suit piped up.

"Don't forget the metal door and fake plants," Cass added.

David decided he'd inquire about the plants later, and focus on the issue instead. He had a question to ask, too. "Why did we wake up in random classrooms?"

A few sounds of agreement were given from the students, and all turned their eyes to Monobear who now had his paws in his ears.

"Details details details! Plot devices like those aren't answered until much later in the story. What matters now is that we begin the entrance ceremony!"

"Are we still doing that?" The red headed boy asked. "No one else is here!"

"Of course there isn't! You guys are the stars of the show! We don't need anything like teachers or other students to get in your way!"

David's breath left him. How could a stuffed bear get rid of an entire school full of people? That would be absurd! Had he been kidnapped? Surely the police would get to the bottom of everything. His parents were probably super worried...

"T-that's crazy! Impossible!" Someone wailed.

"Nothing is impossible with faith, trust, and assault rifles!"

Everyone paled. A girl with chocolate brown skin pulled her beanie over her eyes and ears.

"Do you mean to say," the black suited girl began. "We are totally alone?" It was the nicest euphemism for implying everyone else was dead.

"Mmm...we've actually got a bit of a vermin problem." Monobear blushed, his paws behind his back. "But I'm working right on that! Just don't leave any food out all willy nilly-"

"Why?" David croaked, his eyes full of desperation. "Why us? Why keep us here?"

"As your supervisor, I must keep you safe and healthy! The outside world is so dirty and full of disease and zookeepers! And we here at Destiny's Hope Academy seek to enrich your studies in any way possible. What better way to do that than to keep you here forever?"

More silence. David was sure everyone else similarly forgot to breath.

"Forever?" Whispered a boy in a blue flightsuit.

"Yep! You will be spending the rest of your lives here! Hope you don't mind each other's body odor!"

Monobear laughed a cruel, cold laugh. "No way out! Upupupupu!" Immediately he was met with outrage.

"This is bullshit!"

"You can't keep us here!"

"My father is probably looking for me right now!"

"T-the police will come...surely..."

"There's got to be some way to get out of here!"

At that last comment, Monobear stopped laughing and facepalmed himself. "Of course! Almost forgot! If you want to leave, there's just one teeny tiny thing to do first. It's called Graduation!"

David stepped forward, raising his voice. "How do we graduate?"

"Easy, Davey! Just kill someone!" Monobear leaped back onto the podium with another grand flip. "And not get caught, that is!"

A handful of strangled cries could be heard. A mixture of grief, panic, and fear spread through the group of students. David himself was feeling numb, somehow surpassing all of his other emotions. It was simply too hard to believe, and too horrifying to process. David thought about his parents, his house, and, with a twinge of guilt, his laptop. He truly had no other friends besides his mother and father and his computer. He had no real bonds with anyone else. And now, he'd never see them again. Not unless he took someone else's life, someone with their own parents and friends and a home and future. He'd be taking away a future for his own selfish needs. This empty hollow feeling...what was this? It was alien to him, yet he was already so full of it. Despair?

David heard a beefy boy with a black blazer step toward the bear threateningly, breaking him out of his funk. "Enough of your games!" He bellowed. "This is going too far. We aren't killing anyone!"

Monobear giggled. "Oh sure, _you_ say that. But what about the 15 strangers around you? Surely they wouldn't be on your level of virtue. I'll bet my lucky rabbit's foot one of you is plotting murder right now!"

"J-just shut up!" The boy screamed, veins popping out of his neck. "I'll kill YOU!"

"Ah ah ah!" Monobear wiggled a paw tauntingly. "Violence against the headmaster is not allowed! Only amongst yourselves! Really guys, you have a world of opportunity here: burning, strangling, stabbing, drowning, bludgeoning, torture...I'd be itching to try some new ideas I've come up with on someone...but alas, there are rules! And so~"

Monobear pulled a box from behind his back, making David wonder how and where he hid it. He threw a thin tablet to each of the students, some of them dropping it. "These are your Electro-IDs, handy dandy little creations of mine! You'll use them to get around various areas via the map function, see profiles on your classmates, and a whole bunch of other neat stuff! They're waterproof and indestructible, designed to weather anything! I am such a generous bear! Anyways, make sure to look at the rules page so there isn't any confusion."

David looked down at the the device, pressing the round button on the bottom. The screen loaded up with his name in the center, and then went directly to the list of rules Monobear mentioned.

Rule 1: Students are to live inside the academy, indefinitely. There will be no attempts to venture outside the academy.  
>Rule 2: The time period between 10 P.M. and 7 A.M. is known as "Nighttime." Hall lights will be dimmed. Some areas are off-limits at night, so be careful.<br>Rule 3: Sleeping anywhere other than the dormitory will be seen as sleeping in class and punished accordingly.  
>Rule 4: With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Destiny's Hope Academy at your discretion.<br>Rule 5: Violence against the headmaster is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of surveillance cameras.  
>Rule 6: The Blackened who kills a fellow student will be allowed to Graduate, provided he or she is not found out by the other students.<br>Rule 7: Additional school rules may be added as necessary.

"Cameras?" David looked up to see Wendell with his hand raised, as if asking for permission to speak. "What cameras?"

The girl in the black suit cut Monobear off before he could answer. "The yellow cameras in just about every corner of every room. Do you people not look up anymore?"

At her words, the group looked at the ceiling and corners of the gym, finally noticing the surveillance cameras with blinking red lights that signaled they were on. Watching.

"Oh." Wendell shivered.

"That's so I can keep keep an eye on you guys at aaaaaaaaall times!" Monobear reached into his own fur, somehow pulling out a small black remote. "That's not the only thing up there!"

He pressed a button, and a hatch opened in the ceiling. A large machine gun shot out of the orifice aimed towards the students, who gave shrieks of terror.

"Hey man! Be cool!" A boy said, trying to shield himself with his drum sticks.

"I'm the coolest bear you'll ever meet! So cold, the freezing depths of space can't touch me! Just adhere to the rules or..." Monobear raised a paw, revealing a set of sharp, retractable claws. "You get the rest."

"B-but-" David stuttered. "Why?"

"Good question Davey! I do it for the despair!" Monobear extended his arms as if he was about to envelop the pupils in a tight embrace. That was not his intention. "I do it for the despair on your faces, the despair you all feel at this very moment, and the despair of the dead, hopeless world. You all are symbols of Hope, standing for friendship and the future and blah blah blah. Imagine that Hope turning on itself, killing and wiping each other out! It is such a wonderful feeeeeeeeeling!" Monobear wrapped himself in a hug, being lost in his demented sense of rapture. "She loves that feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeling."

At the mention of "she," David's eye twitched. Cass tensed beside him.

"Now that I've explained everything, I was going to start the ceremony, but you guys look so down that I think I'll postpone it. We will pick this up again, I worked so beary hard on it!" Monobear waved. "So you're free to go! Just follow the rules and murder to your heart's content! Let the School Life of Mutual Killing begin! Upupupu!" With another acrobatic stunt, Monobear vanished behind the podium.

The students, left behind, were silent. Signs of worry were etched on their faces. Some were close to tears. No one wanted to believe that someone amongst them would kill, but it was also a high possibility. They were strangers. No one person knew what the other was capable of.

No one knew if they'd be the one to die.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Well this one is about double the usual length, but bear in mind chapters will probably be longer (but not too long, I'm not that cruel, upupu!) And I'm very happy I could update so quickly, my schedule lightened considerably and Valentine's Day weekend may mean even more~! But if not, you guys can stand the despair, right? Upupupu.<strong>

**Alright enough of that. I had actually planned this chapter be longer, including proper introductions and such but I decided to cut it off here. Acclimation for chapter length and what not. But we've finally gotten this Despair all started and riled up inside of everyone! **

**And one last note: I want this story to include contributions from you guys, awesome readers! Of course, there are going to be Free Time events, and I want you guys to vote on who David will spend some time with (after we get the introduction chapter...which is the very next one, I promise!). I'll be taking the top voted persons for the free time interactions, so I'll need you guys to PM or review! Also, review just for the sake of it! Criticisms help an author grow, and since this is my first story, I'd love to grow with you guys. **

**And with that, I'll see you guys on the next chapter!**


	3. Prologue: Before the End p3

"David."

The boy turned, hearing someone call him. It was Cassandra.

"What do you make of this situation?" she asked in a serious tone. She was staring into his eyes again, trying to gauge his emotions. David remembered Monobear's words and tensed up, not letting his guard down. This girl could be someone much different on the inside than what she portrayed on the outside.

"I don't know what to make of it." he replied carefully. "Obviously I'm afraid. I don't want to be here."

"It is pretty troubling-" she said, still staring.

There was a moment of terse mutual eye contact until she blinked.

"-But it's nice to know you're not a murderer."

David's eyes widened. "How do you know?"

"You passed the test again. I can see it in your eyes. You're not going to hurt anyone."

David was impressed with her people reading skills, a good one to have for being a reporter. But what if she was wrong? Of course, he didn't peg himself to be a killer, but if the opportunity arose...would he do it to escape?

His hesitation to answer scared him.

He scratched the back of his head. "Thanks. I guess."

Cass nodded. "You know what else? You never met everyone."

That was true. The idea hadn't popped up, because of...the situation. But still, he didn't feel that was really the right time. "I don't think they want to meet me right now."

"Nonsense!" Cass faced the gym doors, where the students were dispersing to explore or do something of their own accord. "I hope you're up for a little walking though. Your slowness caused everyone to leave!"

"H-hey!"

Cass grinned, walking to the exit. David began to walk after her, stopping when a certain thought presented itself. Why was he trusting her? She was a stranger just as much as everyone else.

Then again, what other choice did he have? If he separated himself from the others, he'd be easy pickings. And he hated to admit it, but Cass interested him. She was the first girl to ever hold a legitimate, friendly conversation with him. It was weird, but he liked having someone to talk to, other than his parents or clientele.

So he followed her.

By the time he made it to Cass's side outside the gym doors, most of the other students were out of sight. He did see one idling by the gigantic metal doors, which blocked the only foreseeable exit out of the school. It was the boy who blew up at Monobear earlier, in his tight black blazer which barely contained his massive arms. David also noticed the white dragon design on the side, and the studded belt on his waist that had several empty holsters. His blue jeans were tattered and ripped, and he had a buzzcut styled close to his scalp.

"Why don't you start with him?" Cass suggested.

David found the boy more than intimidating, and felt that if he said the wrong thing to him he might end up being the first victim. But Cass was pushing on his back, ushering him towards the student who saw them approaching.

"Hello," David greeted, trying not to sound as pathetic as he felt.

"Hi." The boy acknowledged, throwing a sideways glance at the blocked exit and turning to face the pair.

An awkward silence hung in the air until Cass cleared her throat.

"Oh, right." David thrust his hand at the burly student. "I'm David, uh, Harland. The Web Designer."

The boy shook his hand in his calloused grip, then dipped his hands in his pockets. "My name is Pickering. Norris Pickering. SHSL Club Bouncer."

David nodded. It was a fitting title for his appearance.

"Norris is only 15, but he's served for clubs all over the continental United States and Europe!" Cass added.

"That's pretty thrilling," David complimented, silently thanking Cass for easing him into the conversation.

Norris shrugged. "All I do is stand around a door. Maybe get a few drinks."

Cass wagged her index finger in the air. "Please. Your record is spotless: you've never failed to keep a trouble-maker out. Patrons also would get in fights with you just to test your strength, but you bested them all! And, you rescued that one girl from being kidnapped right in the BassSpace's basement! That's nothing to dismiss."

Norris smiled. "I'm literally just doing my job. I don't need any praise for doing what I'm supposed to do."

"But those are some things to be proud of." David remarked. "I mean, I just sit in front of a screen all day."

"We all have our role to play," The bouncer said. "You have to be pretty good to get in here. So you must be pretty good."

David blushed. "I haven't done anything like rescue a girl, but thanks."

"Unfortunately, I'm not even sure if this is Destiny's Hope, anyways." Norris turned to the barricade. "There's no way they'd let something like this happen in their walls. Ain't no way you can get rid of an entire school's worth of people, either. This is looking more and more like some kind of kidnapping." He got lost in his thoughts, still glaring at the door in hatred. "There must be some way out of here…"

David felt a tug on his arm. It was time to go. "Well, we'll catch you later then." He said. Norris grunted as the two departed down the hall.

"Not so bad, huh?" Cass said. "In all honesty, he's a total softie. But he's not afraid to knock some heads if he has to!"

David chuckled weakly. "I could definitely see that."

The next point of interest was a stairwell to the second floor, currently barred from entry. Standing in front of it's gates was Wendell, who looked at them fearfully.

"I-I...please don't kill me…" He begged as they stopped in front of him, shaking.

Cass threw up her hands to show she had no reason to harm him. "No one's going to kill you, Wen. Did you think anyone fell for that bear's tricks?"

David nodded, trying to look compassionate. "We won't hurt you."

Wendell still looked untrusting, but managed to stop shaking. "I-I'm sorry. My nerves are s-shot to all-hell."

"We can understand that. This is pretty serious, after all." Cass answered. "But it'll be OK. You're among friends."

Wendell bit his lip. "Do you really believe that?"

"If we don't have each other, what else do we have?" Cass crossed her arms in a sober pose. "The bear wants us to be scared, to be divided. We have to trust one another."

Wendell looked at her for a moment, then sighed, finally calm. "I suppose so. I'm not used to this. Back home, I had a library to keep me company, and now I'm here with so many people my own age. But then I find out we have to go and betray one another."

"I'm not used to it either." David spoke carefully. "I didn't really mesh with people before now. However, in this situation you can't act alone. We have to work together to find a way out of this."

Wendell gave a small smile. "It is impossible to go through life without trust: that is to be imprisoned in the worst cell of all, oneself. Graham Greene said that."

David returned the smile. "You know, I realized we never really introduced ourselves."

"Oh! I apologize. Wendell Granville, Poet." Poetry. Made sense.

"David Harland. Web Designer." David responded. "You must do a lot with that to be called the SHSL poet."

Wendell put his arms behind his back, trying to look as humble as possible. "I write it, mostly. But I know all the best ones. It's a little cliche, but I love Frost, and Dickinson. I can...relate to Dickinson. Social recluse, hopeless romantic. Our lives mirror each other closely."

"That's not all bad, experience is as much an inspiration as anything else. Maybe you can write me something, sometime." David proposed.

Wendell blushed. "I'd love to...it might take a while, though. Can't write under these conditions. Heh heh."

"After we get out of here, then." David dipped his head in goodbye as he and Cass took their leave. Cass stuck him in the arm with her pencil, and he yelped.

"What was that for?" He demanded, rubbing the tender spot of his skin.

"It's coming to the point that I don't even need to be here. You're really getting into the swing of things!" Cass congratulated, sticking the pencil behind her ear.

David shrugged, feeling more embarrassed for himself than for Wendell. "I can relate to him. He seems as alone as I am- was."

"Soon you won't be able to call yourself that. You're getting good at social interaction. I'm so proud."

"Oh shut it." he said, but also feeling proud of himself. Talking to people face to face wasn't so bad, after all. He was starting to enjoy himself, as much as the whole "kill-your-classmates" predicament would allow.

The two made their way further down the corridor, aware of the things to see. There was a men and women's bathroom, and both of them checked the respective sex to see if any students were inside. Finding none, they continued to a set of doors with gaudy pink hearts painted on them.

"What's this room?" Cass wondered aloud. "A love shack?"

"W-why would that be in a school?" David's heart began to pound, suddenly wary of entering.

"Why not?" Cass giggled and pushed open the doors.

It wasn't a love shack, it was a brightly lit infirmary. There was a row of hospital beds on the left, with a heart monitor and empty IV drip laying next to each one. A desk and counter sat on the back, holding a small filing cabinet. A bigger, metal cabinet sat next to that, with glass windows showing all of the health supplies stocked on its shelves. A small refrigerator was in the corner, being investigated by a crouching boy with short, straight black hair, light blue jeans, white tennis shoes, and an oversized dark blue hoodie. He was rummaging inside of the fridge, but his frame obscured its contents

"Hello?"

Upon hearing Cass's voice, the boy jumped, knocking his head against the top of the storage container.

"Ow! Geez!" He stood up and turned to them, holding a blood bag and plastic tube in his hands. He was pale, with dark freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks and cloudy grey eyes, much darker than David's. He was also exceptionally short, maybe having only a few inches over a certain SHSL Baker. "You could at least knock, ya know?" He demanded in an angry southern drawl.

David's heart pounded even faster at the sight of the blood. "What are you doing with that?" The student looked down at the bag, as if just now noticing he had it in his hands. "Whoops, didn't mean to pick this up."

"Is that all that's in there?" Cass questioned curiously, gesturing to the refrigerator.

The boy nodded. "And some basic supply kits in the cabinet. If someone gets a splinter, we'll be just fine."

David smirked at the joke, his new-found confidence returning. He introduced himself to the student, who smiled. "Nice to meetcha. Dustin Savege, at your service. Though I prefer you call me Dusty." He gave a little bow, dropping the blood bag in the process. "Crap." He retrieved the bag and threw it, along with the plastic tube, on top of the fridge.

Cass took the floor with the rest of his introduction. "He's the luck guy. I mean, Super High School Level Luck. I'm not sure how winning a raffle constitutes as luck, though."

Dusty gasped. "It's the luckiest thing ever, to be accepted here! Back home, my grades were shit, my family was shit, my house was shit. This is a significant step up."

Cass tapped her chin. "Makes me wonder how the school can cultivate a talent like that. How do you improve someone's 'luck'"?"

Dusty shrugged, a carefree expression on his face. "Don't know, don't care. You have to be grateful when opportunities like this come along. Momma always said, 'open doors are still doors, which means they can shut you out, too.' That's my philosophy!" He pumped a fist in the air. "You gotta take what life gives you, the good and the bad. And life gave me something great!"

David thought this guy should've been called the Ultimate Optimist. He was full of energy, spirit and drive, despite their horrifying position. They'd need some optimism in the coming days. "That's a good way to think of things." He mused.

"Yep. Momma was wise beyond her years." Dusty frowned. "I hope she's all right. I can't stand the rest of 'em, but Momma...she's probably worried sick."

"Try not to think of that," Cass spoke, cutting into Dustin's suddenly depressing line of thinking. "Getting stressed about those outside isn't going to help us in here. Once we find a way out, we'll burn this place to the ground and see our loved ones again."

At her words, Dustin lit up. "You're absolutely right! Shame on me for not keeping hope alive! Momma also said that 'hope is the light, despair is the darkness, and if you turn on the light, the darkness recedes.'"

David nodded. "That's profound. You should get with Wendell, and tell him some of your mom's aphorisms. He'd appreciate that."

Dusty thought about it a bit, and agreed happily, running out of the infirmary at full speed and venturing to find the poet.

"What a nice boy," Cass said. "He'll be sure to enliven spirits."

"Yeah," David concurred. "Maybe his Luck could save us?"

"Not unless he plans to kills us all. Heh." Cass tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. David, unsure of what else to say, took the lead and left the infirmary with the reporter behind him.

In the hall, the pair found another set of trendy looking doors, glancing at each other before entering the next room.

It looked small, but was stuffed full of so many items and commodities it was probably bigger. There were shelves lined with school supplies like pencils, backpacks and paper, and useless junk, like smaller (and significantly less dangerous) Monobear plushies, trading cards, jewelry, candies, and more. What couldn't fit on the shelves sat on the floor or were crammed in the corner: this included strange golden artifacts and statues, giant portraits (all of Monobear in less than germane poses), and boxes full of old books. There wasn't much open space to walk through without stepping on some trinket, but the two continued onwards to the end. There, a girl stood in front of a contraption resembling a mix between a gumball and a vending machine, with a Monobear color scheme. Their antagonist thought a lot of themselves.

The girl heard the other Ultimates making their way noisily to her, and waved cheerily. She wore a short yellow sundress with yellow slippers, complimenting her tanned skin. Her medium length hair was colored a bright, bubblegum pink. Her eyes were pink also, though a more subdued shade.

"Hello!" she cooed, her voice pleasant and light. "Nice find, huh?" She held out a hand, a fake ring with an oversized scarlet gem in her palm. "I don't really like red, but this is so pretty I'll make an exception! Darcy Stidolph, at your service!"

Cassandra gasped. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you! I'm Cass, this is David...I-I loved your work on Pen Pals and Blue Nights! I love everything else you've done, too, but I'm still wondering how you could voice an entire cast for two shows!"

The girl beamed. "Thanks! It's not too difficult when you establish a character's personality and characteristics. Then I do what comes naturally to me. A Voice Actress aims to please, and I'm glad I've made my fans happy!"

Cass shook her head. "You've done more than make us happy. You've been an inspiration to more than a million children around the world! You really made people realize the merits of voice acting and you've helped kids pursue the dream no one else thought twice of!"

David hadn't even registered half of what Cass said. He was still in awe. "Y-you voiced the entire cast of Blue Nights? Even the chorus of old men and the orphanage kids? That's over sixty characters!"

Darcy shrugged nonchalantly. "My range is pretty wide. Granted it took a lot of practice to get the chorus right. Harmonizing with yourself six times is not the easiest thing to do, especially when it's not really you. But boy, movie magic is amazing."

David dumbly. "Truly amazing." He said, not referring to film editing.

"It sure is! Erm-" Cass fidgeted with her boot, pulling out her notebook and almost dropping it in the process. "-Could I, ah, have your autograph?"

Darcy,happy to oblige, took Cass's pencil and wrote her name on an empty page in large, curly letters. She even drew little hearts over her I's. "Here you are!"

While Cass expressed her gratitude excitedly, David remembered the weird contraption they were all standing next to. "What is this thing?" He asked, examining it. Inside of a giant glass globe perched on top of it were a multitude of knick-knacks and junk, though it was too blurry to see what exactly was inside. Underneath the globe was a dispenser and coin slot. The only problem was, David's money had been confiscated at some point and he suspected everyone else's was, too. He wondered how they could use a machine with no change.

"This is the Mono-Machine!" A familiar, annoying voice pervaded the room. There was Monobear, on top of the contraption and scaring everyone with his sudden entrance. "Cool, huh?"

Darcy shivered, trying to calm down from her initial surprise. Cass regained her composure the quickest, smoothing her hair behind her ear. "The what, bear?" She interrogated.

"Monobear to you, young lady!" He unsheathed his claws, red eye glinting nefariously. Then, he blushed, looking embarrassed with his paws behind his back. "You must forgive me. Headmasters should never threaten their students in such an uncouth way. The Spears of Gungnir will be enough."

"Huh?"

"Yes, your question- listen up bastards! This here is the Mono-Machine, constructed by yours truly for your school life needs! There's all manner of goodies in here, from gadgets to underwear to DVDs to an Escape Button!"

David blanched. "An Escape Button? Really?"

"Gyahaha! No!" Monobear laughed teasingly. "I learned my lesson from last time! No more of those! Alternate universes be damned."

"Get to the point." Said Cass impatiently.

"Alright alright! Any of these fine gifts can be yours for the small price of a Mono-coin!"

"Mono-coin?" David questioned. "Why not just use real money? We don't even have any Mono-coins."

"Of course ya do, David! Check your pockets."

David did as he was told, his heart racing as his fingers brushed against cold metal. He pulled out the gold coin, inspecting the design of Monobear on both sides. Cass, not having pockets, thought to check her boot, finding a similar piece of currency. "How-?" She was horrified. David was sure the coins hadn't been there a minute ago.

Darcy fidgeted, eyeing her chest. "Yeah. You don't find them in the most conventional of places." She had no boots, just her yellow flats, and of course her dress didn't have pockets. Upon realizing the only place Monobear could've hidden her coin, David felt almost as embarrassed as she did. This bear felt them up, too?

Monobear raised a paw to his mouth. "Puhuhu. I'm such such a generous bear. Anyways, put a coin in and see what you get! You might find something you like!" With that, he vanished without a trace.

Cass looked sick. "I'll pass on that offer. You do it."

David glanced at his coin, took a deep breath, and inserted it into the slot. There was a rumbling noise as the machine shook, and a second later, a small green bottle of bubbles and a pink wand spat out of the dispenser. "Fun." He commented, disinterested.

"Fun indeed! Darcy exclaimed exuberantly. "I'm so jealous! I haven't played with one of those in ages."

Cass smirked. "I'm sure he's gonna spend oodles of time entertaining himself."

David wrinkled his nose. "I'm not keeping this."

"You have to, you bought it with legal tender."

"You and I both know Mono-coins aren't legal tender."

Cass raised a brow. "I'm sure if Monobear took over a school, he could take over the U.S. Mint."

"Y-you're not serious?"

Darcy chuckled, concealing her mouth. "You two are so cute. I'm gonna leave before your talk about the Mint brings Monobear back. He doesn't need any ideas." With a quick goodbye, the SHSL Voice Actress departed, leaving a blushing pair of teenagers.

"Let's continue," said Cass, visibly uncomfortable and sticking her notebook back in her boot. David agreed, putting the bubbles and wand in his pocket as the two of them went on to the next destination.

Across the hall from the store was an AV room, wide and full of computer monitors powered off and stationed in pairs. Underneath each monitor was a DVD, VCR and CD player, with a Monobear insignia emblazoned on their sides. Stereos and speakers hung on the wall, as well as one large flat screen TV that sat at the front of the room. Underneath the flat screen was a student, browsing through a cardboard box full of VCR tapes. The student glanced up upon their entry, giving giving a wan smile.

"Hi," She greeted meekly. Her outfit was on one pastel colour scheme: simple white high-top shoes, a white sweater that exposed her shoulders, a short pink skirt made of gossamer and light brown leggings, lighter than her chocolate skin. Her beanie, sitting on the back of her head, was a dark brown, and a long black braid spilled out of it and down her back. She had reddish eyes that watched David shyly. "You're the Website Designer, right?"

David, surprised she knew him, nodded. "David. You are-?"

"Margaret Mills. Um...you helped me make my blog site last year." She spoke in a soft voice, not sure if she wanted to be heard or not.

David didn't need the reminder; now that he knew her name, he remembered her. "The Margaret? The blogger?"

Cass extended a hand, which Margaret shook. "Your stuff is cool, a wide variety and everything. But you dont post any pictures of yourself. It's nice to know what you look like."

David pinched her, making her exclaim in annoyance. "D-don't be weird!" He turned to the SHSL Blogger. "It's nice to meet you, I-I read all your updates and...y-you look nice..." He muttered, that last bit coming out strangled.

Margaret averted her gaze from him, heat rising in her cheeks. "Thank you."

"Oh! How do you like the site layout?" Asked the Web Designer, eager for more conversation.

Margaret chuckled weakly. "It's great, just like it was the last time you asked." David bit his lip, painfully aware of the awkward atmosphere he had created. Margaret's eyes widened. "Oh no no, um...I don't usually open private messages but I uh...open yours."

David was the one blushing now. "Oh." He turned to the box of tapes, sitting on a desk next to them. "What are those?"

"I, uh, haven't found out yet." Margaret answered in small voice. "I wanted to try putting one in the player, but there's so many..."

"Are they all unmarked?" Cass inquired, peering into the box."

"It looks like it," Margaret said. "I suppose I should try one at random."

She chose a tape and David helped her set up a VCR player while Cass booted up its adjoining monitor. After a few seconds, the screen filled up with the image of a grassy field at midday, the long blades swaying in the breeze. The trio watched this scene for a moment, the only change being a wandering band of wild horses grazing lazily and then moving off camera."

"Well this isn't dramatic at all." Cass said.

"Are they all like this?" David wondered.

Margaret ejected that tape and put in another one. This time, they saw a beach of pearly white sand, and bright blue waves licking at the shore. Seagulls flew overhead in a clear sky.

"I didn't think Monobear hoarded National Geographic footage." Cass joked dryly. "What could he be using these for?"

"Maybe to taunt us," Margaret muttered. "He's showing us the outside because we can't leave. Showing us what we're missing."

"Wanting us to kill so we can see it again." David said. "It's a very weak motive but...I can't say I don't already miss it."

Cass snorted. "You never left your house."

"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate nature." David retorted, crossing his arms.

Margaret gave a small smile. "I've, ah, always wanted to travel. My town is pretty small, so there isn't much to see."

"I hear France is nice this time of year." Cass commented wistfully.

The three shared a laugh, uneasy at first but becoming full of life. Laughter took their minds off things, even if it was only long enough for David and Cass to bid the blogger a goodbye and start on their way.

The next door they crossed was plain and had a twin, a few feet next to it.

"Classrooms." Cass announced, looking at them in contempt. "I'm pretty sure no one came in here."

"There's only two?" David wondered, staring at the hard wood of the first door in confusion. "I thought we all woke up in different ones."

"Well, I meant to ask you about that," Cass turned to him gravelly. "The other 15 of us woke up in that classroom, 1A, there-" She pointed to the other door. "It was at different times, granted. But you were absent from the group, which was why we sent that search party to look for you."

"I was just next door..."

"The classroom was locked when we first tried." Cass frowned. "So we all went to the entrance hall, and sent Wendell and Peggy to look in this direction. They, or rather Wendell, came back with you. Did you unlock the door?"

David, completely and utterly lost, shook his head. "I didn't know…"

"Strange." Cass went on ahead, this new tidbit of information rattling in her head. David followed her, much more visibly unsettled.


	4. Prologue End

They came across another set of unmarked double doors, barred off with iron gates. A single button shaped in a triangle pointing to the ground was next to it. It was an elevator, one they wouldn't be using for now. The students made no comment on it, just turning round a corner into a new corridor, a final door at the end of it.

Going through the door, the pair emerged into a new wing of the school, which a sign on the cream walls sanctioned as the "Dormitories."

Cass sniffed, looking haughtily at all the rooms nearest her. "Thank God. I was hoping the dorm area wasn't blocked off, too."

"We have to sleep somewhere," David surmised. "The rest of the students must be in this area, then."

They took the nearest door to their left, which was revealed to be a comfortable lounge area with benches in the middle and lockers lining the sides. One room over was a public bath, set up in the center with a small, adjoining jacuzzi, currently pumping hot water from its jets. Mirrors and sinks hung on the walls, along with short stools in front of them. There was another door near the corner, and David peeked inside to see a little sauna, currently dry and not in use.

"Ew." Cass crinkled her nose, looking over at the large ornate bathtub designed to accommodate several people at once. "Why not just give us regular showers?"

"I'm sure they have," David said. "Probably in the other bathrooms, the ones separated by gender. But this is...what is it exactly?"

"You guys haven't used a public bath before?"

The pair jumped, turning around to face a newcomer who had entered the bath area. He had a shock of frizzy ginger hair that framed his face in a halo, and luminous yellow eyes. His white suit looked oversized and slightly tacky with the red and black striped tie and elongated clown shoes. He had a gap in his front teeth that showed when he smiled. And he was smiling a _lot._

"Hello." David acknowledged the strange character with an uneasy grin. "I'm David, er, Web Designer."

"Cassandra. Reporter."

"Ah!" The student's face lit up with recognition. "I remember you! You were in the lobby looking at the plants. And you-," he pointed to David. "-were our little straggler."

David bit his lip. "It's not like it's my fault."

The student chuckled. "A cutie like you shouldn't go too far alone. You might get lost."

While David stammered an objection over being called a "cutie," Cass asked the stranger to introduce himself (more for David's sake than her own). "Aw, yes! Bryon Bunker is the name, comedy is my game!" He did a little jig, raising his hands high above his head and careful to not let his loose sleeves fall down his arms. "I bring laughter to a world that needs it! I give joy to children with no ice cream! I can make a 40-year old alcoholic double over in a fit of giggles! I am _Master Bunker_!"

Cass crossed her arms, unimpressed. "I saw one of your shows. It was pretty okay, but not my cup of tea."

Bryon stroked a nonexistent beard. "Well what _is_ your cup of tea? And do you take it with sugar?" Cass tried not to reveal the curl of her lips, but the SHSL Comedian noticed it right away. "Aha! A dry sense of humor!"

David snorted. "That seems accurate." He waved towards the bath. "You were saying you've used one of these, before? With like...others?"

"Heck yeah! It was on one of my international tours." Bryon fixed his gaze on a light fixture, fondly lost in his memories. "We were in Japan, around springtime. Me and the crew were crashing at this real swanky hotel somewhere in the countryside. Possibly Yaeyama. Anyways, instead of showers they had what they called a group or public bath. It's a bit like a glorified hot tub, except without the jets and things. You have to rinse yourself off first, then you have a nice dip in the bath, then you get out to wash yourself, then you can get back in again for a soak, and continue the cycle as many times as you want! Me and my mates had a hoot, but the janitors kicked us out after a couple of hours."

"Sounds like an enchanting experience," Cass said sarcastically.

Bryon nodded dreamily. "It was. We got complimentary rice cakes and they were so good! I think the hotel owner's wife made them. I know I hid lots of them in my suit!" He laughed, a high pitched, nasally sound that made David cringe. It was a good thing Bryon usually made others laugh, and not the other way around.

"Well we've got some other people to see." David said. "It was nice meeting you."

"Same here! You and me should make use of this bath some time, eh?" Bryon winked, causing David's cheeks to go scarlet and for Cass to pull him out of the room and lounge. Back in the hall, she dropped her serious composure and broke out into a hysterical chortling fit.

"H-hold on, I n-need- AHAHA!" She could barely contain her cries. "H-he's not so bad!"

"Seemed a little shady to me," David grumbled, still blushing.

"Don't be like that. He likes to mess with people, especially when he knows it makes them uncomfortable." Cass smiled. "You should take him up on that offer, though."

"S-stuff it."

The next destination was again on the left side of the hall, which was a laundry room. A number of washer and dryer machines filled this room, along with a clothesline that hung from one end to the other. A metal folding table set with metal folding chairs sat in the corner. A student sat in one of these chairs, flipping through a dramatized tabloid magazine.

She was the outspoken student in the sharp black suit and heels. Now that David was closer to her, he could tell she was both beautiful and imposing. She had a stylish white pixie cut with some light pink undertones. However, her eyes contrasted the rest of her angelic appearance. They were a bold, icy blue, bright and brilliant yet cold and criticising. Her mouth was set into a hard line. Even as David and Cass entered, she didn't look up, but still addressed them. "Hello to you both."

Undaunted (unlike David), Cass began to introduce themselves, but the student cut her off. "I know who you are. A reporter and web designer. Intriguing talents, but not exactly something we can use in this situation."

Cass scoffed, and David cleared his throat nervously. _This is going swimmingly, _he thought.

"And just who do you think you are?" Cass demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Don't be dense, Cassandra, you know who I am. Why don't you tell David?"

Cass's jaw dropped, and David could feel her trembling next to him. He wondered if he should keep his distance or drape an arm around her to calm her down. But knowing Cass's character (or whatever portion of it she'd shown him), he decided not to move.

A wise choice.

"David," Cass began tersely, staring daggers at the student. "This is the Super High School Level Prosecutor, Ora Jenkins. Let me stress _High School_, meaning, not better than the rest of us."

"I'd have to disagree." Ora finally looked up from a page of a Japanese model. She fixed her disinterested eyes on the SHSL Reporter. "According to my record, I'm the best in the entire Western Hemisphere, and internationally ranked in the entire world. I have never lost a case. I am the owner of several law firms scattered throughout the United States, as well as one in France. I've represented hundreds, if not thousands of individuals." She cocked her head to the left. "And _you_ get interviews, find some scoops, and take lots of nice pictures. It's cute, really." She turned to David, who felt sweat dripping down his back underneath his t-shirt. "You're just as cute. You can do _so much_ with just a limited knowledge of basic coding and some, I must admit, ingenious aesthetic choices. But I suppose you both have some semblance of talent to be accepted here." With that, she put her attention back on the magazine, leaving David relieved she was done talking and Cassandra a shaking, furious mess.

"Maybe we should leave." He murmured, taking Cass by the arm and ushering her towards the door. Cass, for the first time, was silent and complied obediently. But Ora wasn't done.

"Another thing," she called, turning the page. "This school is rather curious in layout, don't you think? If memory serves, a few things have...changed."

David grunted an answer, and guided Cass out of the door. She was looking downcast at the hard wood floor.

"Don't listen to her," David whispered, leaning down to her height.

She made a noise in the base of her throat. "I don't care about her." With that, she continued to the right side of the hall, where an archway awaited her. Walking through with her, David observed the newest location: a cafeteria. It was what you'd expect, large and bright with red tiled floors and paneled walls, and the windows weren't covered in steel plates this time. There were trees on the other side of the glass, but it seemed they were also entrapped in an artificially lit room. A long wooden table occupied the center of the cafeteria, with smaller tables scattered about the room. Two students sat chatting at the long one, munching on muffins. David and Cass exchanged glances and headed towards them.

They were both females, but had drastically different appearances. The first girl was about medium height and pale, and had short, choppy black hair tucked behind her ears and glasses. She had on a long brown sweater and skin tight leggings, with black fur boots. The second was much taller and wore a white tank top, blue running shorts and white sneakers. Her long brown hair went down her back in a ponytail, and her hazel eyes were the first to notice the newcomers. David raised a hand to wave, but his eyes became glued to her chest. He was not one to stare, but her impressive bust size was distracting him. He didn't even realize he was standing in front of the strangers until Cass slapped the back of his head.

"You'll have to excuse my friend." Cass rolled her eyes. "Web Designer. He doesn't get out much."

"H-hey!"

The ponytailed girl giggled. "It's fine, I'm kind of used to it. At least I'm not _known_ for it, ya know?"

"Of course." Cass turned to David. "This is the SHSL Tennis Player, Libbie Jakeman. Best in the country and the fastest, too. Got a nasty backswing."

"Me and her are gonna test that backswing out in the gym later!" the other girl cried in a loud voice, giving Libbie a high-five. She grinned at them. "I'm Kathie Abram, Super Duper Stuntwoman!"

David's eyebrows rose. She looked nothing like her title; if anything he'd pegged her as a SHSL Librarian with those thick rimmed glasses and sweater. He supposed she had the energy for it, she was practically bouncing in excitement. She was also rather loud, always yelling.

"Yeah! After we finish these muffins, though." Libbie took another bite, eyes rolling into her head from the taste. "Thank God there's a cook among us."

"Peggy's already in her element, eh?" Cass asked with a smile.

"Ye-e-es. Here, try one." Libbie pushed the plate of muffins towards Cass and David, each of them taking one. David looked at it carefully, noting the blueberries and cinnamon, and took a bite. The flavors exploded across his tongue; there was more than blueberries and cinnamon, other tastes and spices and-there was a cream filling! He gulped the muffin down, not realizing how hungry he was. Or it might've been because it was so darn good.

"Great, right!" Kathie said, somehow shouting her question. "She's making another batch now!"

Cass was struggling to speak while her mouth was full of the baked treat. "We'll see her. But what have you guys found?"

Libbie gestured towards the windows. "At first I thought those trees were outside, but it looks like theres just another room. Maybe a greenhouse?"

"Except there isn't a skylight!" said Kathie. "More of those fake, bright lights! I miss the sun!"

"Yep. Aaaaaand we passed the dorms on the way over here. Nothing suspicious looking, and the doors have locks!" Libbie reported proudly, grabbing another muffin.

Cass nodded. "Did Monobear give you keys then?"

"Those are on your bedroom door." Libbie wiped some crumbs off her mouth, then had a thought. "Hope no one steals yours!"

David paled. "We need to hurry."

"Agreed. We'll meet Peggy and catch you guys later," Cass said, grabbing another muffin. The two departed from the athletes and entered the kitchen, where an array of linoleum cabinets and countertops held ingredients and cooking supplies. An industrial sized stove and oven sat against the wall, where the SHSL Baker, Peggy, was now crouched. She pulled out a tray of cookies, giving them a good sniff before grabbing a container of sugar and dashing it on them.

"Hooray! They're done!" she yelled. She grabbed the tray with her oven-mitted hands and turned around, seeing the reporter and web designer. "Helloooo!" She sang, carrying the tray towards them. "You get to be the very first to have a taste!"

David almost had to kneel to reach her tray, but he picked one and popped it into his mouth. They were fudge, with a chocolate and cream-cheese filling. He could also taste the sugar, and something else on the top. More cinnamon. He used to hate it, but now he was thankful for it's existence. "These are great!" He declared.

"Mucho gusto," Cass said, reaching for another cookie.

The baker swatted her hands away. "Save some for the others! I have to make some rounds and deliver 'em!"

"Say, Peggy-" David began to question before the spirited girl left. "-What have you found out about the kitchen? Anything we should be worried about?"

"Ummm nope! There's lots of stuff in the fridge, enough to last us for weeks! And when I came in here, there was a lunch prepared, but I threw it out 'cuz it had _noooo_ taste!"

"You threw it out?" Cass asked, concerned.

"Yeah! But Monobear came and got mad 'cuz I made a mess. He said it would be a 'warning' and not to blow stuff up in the microwave again! He told me we wouldn't ever run out of food, but that doesn't mean I should waste it. And something about zookeepers starving his brethren to make a political point, but I zoned out!"

"As you should." Cass replied, relieved. "We won't starve, at least. One less thing to worry about."

"Totally, but my food is waaaaaay yummier! I'm gonna go ahead and give everyone some!" With a cheerful goodbye, Peggy left, carrying her tray.

"Unlimited food, and a SHSL Baker to cook for us." David said. "Not too shabby."

"Sure, but-" Cass cast a nervous glance at the counter to her left. David followed her gaze, seeing the container full of large, sharp, dangerous looking knives. "-I'm worried about those."

David frowned. "It's not like we can hide them. I don't even think Peggy can _reach_ them."

"Hmph. Maybe we'll talk about it when everyone's together again. Reach a consensus and junk."

David agreed, and the two left the kitchen and cafeteria, waving at the two athletes who were scarfing down the cookies Peggy left them. Outside, they made a right down the hall and ran into a loud commotion.

"Ow! The box fell on me!"

"Sorry, dude!"

"It's fine, just watch that shelf-"

There was a loud crash, and David and Cass ran towards it. They came across an open door with light flooding out of it's room. This was where the voices were coming from.

"Sorry! Everything just fell!"

David, taking the lead, peaked into the room. It was a storage closet, bigger than most and full of shelves. The shelves contained boxes marked with various things like clothing and living supplies. Cleaning materials was the first thing David saw. Well, next to first thing. The first thing he saw was a boy in a blue tracksuit, with wild dirty blonde hair in a ponytail and sparse beard. His lanky limbs were holding an empty box, the contents of which were burying the body of another student. That student, grumbling, crawled out of the pile of styrofoam cups and stood up. He looked like a typical rocker guy, with long black hair colored with green streaks and a goatee. He wore a black t-shirt, with ripped sleeves that showed off the lean muscle of his arms, and a matching black choker with pointed studs around his neck. He also had on dark green cargo shorts and brown sandals, which David could only see when he lifted his foot into the air.

"Man, one of those cups punctured my heel."

"Is that even possible?" The boy in the tracksuit asked. He threw the box in a random direction - that direction being Cass's forehead. When she gave a yelp of annoyed disapproval, he turned to them eyes wide. "I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you there! Don't sue!"

"I won't sue!" She rubbed her temples angrily. "Be glad I'm not Ora."

The boy nodded sheepishly. "She scares me."

David, stifling a laugh over Cass's pain, offered a hand to the boy. "I'm David Harland, SHSL Web Designer."

The boy took it, shaking his hand firmly. "I'm James Haight, and I skydive! Best talent ever, in my opinion."

"How does that work?"

"I do it more than most, like, every day. I've gone to new heights and I'm pretty acrobatic too-"

"Anyone can do a flip several thousand feet in the air," the other boy said. "Not too hard. Anyways, I'm Charles Hanley, the drummer."

"Ah," David spoke, impressed.

"He's pretty good, too." Cass complimented. "I reported on one of his shows - there was a hell of a lot going on."

"Gotta keep the masses entertained." He said with a toothy grin. "Speaking of that, we were just in here finding some spray paint for the drum set in my room- but we've been coming up dry."

"Hence the noises."

"Yep," James answered, looking shamefully at the cups that littered the floor. "We've just made a big mess in here."

Cass looked around, twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers. After a moment, she pointed to one of the top shelves nearest the ceiling. "There's some."

Charles and James shared an incredulous look and gazed at the box she was indicating. Sure enough, the words "Spray Paint" were scrawled on the front.

"Well I'll be damned," Charles breathed. "We've been in here forever!"

"Not long enough, I suppose." Cass giggled, enjoying the fact she was the smartest in the room.

"Hey thanks, man!" James, lacking a ladder, began to climb the shelves, knocking more boxes to the ground. "I'm just going to get this down real quick-"

David was jerked outside of the room, by Cass, who was bidding adieu to the drummer on her way out. They started down the hall, with David wondering why they left so abruptly.

"Don't you remember what Monobear told Peggy?" Cass said. "I'm not getting blamed for that catastrophe in there." As she finished her sentence, the sound of a body hitting the floor could be heard, along with a loud "Ow! You landed on me!"

Straight down the hall was a doorway that revealed a long room with only one thing inside- an industrial sized trash incinerator. As they got closer, they noticed a student dumping something into the flames.

He was dressed in a straw hat sitting atop thick black hair, a ratty red button up vest with no undershirt, blue trousers with the ends rolled up into cuffs to resemble shorts, and a pair of brown sandals. When he was done with the incinerator, he turned around, meeting the pair's curious gaze with a ready smile. David saw the stitches under his left eye and the X-shaped scar that criss-crossed his chest. The Web Designer gasped. It was Monkey D. Luffy, the fictional character from anime and manga. Here, in the flesh.

"L-Luffy...?" David questioned, reaching a hand out to touch his stitches. The boy let him, grinning as he felt how real they were.

"Yep!" He cried.

"No." Cass groaned, pushing a starstruck David's arm away from the kid's face. "That is not Luffy, or whoever this character is. It's Samson Wilson, the SHSL Cosplayer. But I will admit, seeing your talent in person...it's pretty amazing."

The boy, Samson, threw his hands into the air dramatically. "Dangit! Why'd you have to ruin the illusion?"

"David's pretty gullible. We don't need him thinking there's a pirate running amok."

Samson laughed. "You're right. But an SHSL Pirate would be awesome! I'd love to fight a real pirate...or steal his wardrobe. Maybe he'd have a peg leg? If he didn't, I'd let him borrow mine! But he'd have to give it back, those things are hard to come by."

David clicked his tongue, annoyed he'd been caught unawares by this boy's impressive display of clothing and makeup. He'd made a two-dimensional character become reality. A great talent indeed.

"Say," Cass said, cutting off the cosplayer before he could get even more off task. "What were you doing with the incinerator?"

"Just destroying some rugs! I hate rugs, they look itchy and knotty, like a dirty pet's fur that hasn't been washed in months. I had a dog that hadn't been washed in months, and he looked so unkempt that I couldn't even stand to see him anymore, so I-"

"Okay, we get it. So how'd you get the getup for this...ensemble?"

"Monobear is sooo nice, he let me have all the clothes and stuff from my luggage! I have just about everything in there, so it took, like, eighteen suitcases, and he let me keep everything!"

Luggage? David felt a tug in his gut. If Samson still had his luggage, that meant he would too. Which also meant he still had his laptop.

Eager to get going and check, he said goodbye to Samson and urged Cassandra along with him. She looked at him quizzically, but said nothing.

Walking for a bit, they found the dorms, after passing another set of bathrooms. They discovered the final student staring dreamily at a clock between two of the bedroom doors. She was tan, short and pretty skinny, with purple shoulder length hair that matched her large, violet eyes. She had on a dark red sweater with sleeves that extended past her fingertips and a bottom that reached her knees. David could barely see the outline of a blue skirt underneath it. She had on a modest accessory of a pin in the shape of a star, which kept a portion of her hair out of her eyes (not much, her bangs still covered her forehead.)

She turned to them as they approached. "You two are real, correct?" she asked in a slow, lazy voice.

David made a face, deeply confused. "Yes, we are."

"That is...unfortunate," she replied in a desolate tone, frowning. "Then our circumstances are also real."

David nodded sympathetically. "Trust me, I wish I were dreaming, too. I'm David, SHSL Web Designer, and Cass is the SHSL Reporter."

The girl yawned, covering her mouth with a sleeve. "My name is Monica Truman. I'm the SHSL Narcoleptic."

"How do you do that?" asked David, forgetting his reservations. "That's a disorder that makes you fall asleep so...how is that a talent?"

"My particular case is rather severe." she responded with heavily lidded eyes. "I'm prone to some really bad bouts of suddenly going to sleep. I suppose that's part of my talent. The other part is..." She didn't finish. Her eyes slid shut and she collapsed on the floor, breathing peacefully.

David cried in alarm, but Cass held onto his arm, looking at Monica coolly. All of a sudden, she opened her eyes, and stood back up drowsily. "Uhm, what was I? Oh, the other part." She yawned again. "I can wake myself up from them, fairly quick. Though, sometimes I have trouble figuring out if I've woken up in reality or in my dreams."

"Well that sure is amazing," David said, trying to slow his beating heart.

Cass smiled. "We'll let you get some rest. It's almost… Nighttime, I think he called it. Nice to meet you."

Monica returned the smile, but David could tell she was almost at sleep again. "Likewise." She stumbled into her room, which she happened to be standing in front of, leaving the two alone in the hall.

"I'm pretty sure that's everybody," Cass commented, facing David. "What do you think?"

"Pretty...interesting bunch." David rubbed the back of his head, a tendency he was starting to notice he had. "At least everyone seems nice. Most of everyone, at least."

Cass chuckled, then turned around and surveyed a couple of the doors. She stopped at one and pulled down the set of keys that hung on it's hook. "This is mine. It looks like boys room a little bit down that way." She pointed to the opposite end of the hall.

David nodded. "Thanks."

They stood there for a moment or two in awkward silence, David consciously aware he could hear the blood pumping in his ears.

"Well, I'll see you later." Cass said in a low voice.

"Yeah. Later." David stuck his hands in his pockets and stalked down the hall, hearing a soft click as Cass opened and closed her door. She was correct in her line of thinking, as David looked at the names under each keyring hook. They were boys names, and he finally found his dorm after the fourth one. Thankfully, his keys were still there, and he used them to enter the room.

It was pretty big, but also empty. The only notable furniture was the writing desk, queen sized bed with blue sheets, the dresser and closet, and another door. He opened it to find a small bathroom, with a shower and toilet. He closed it and went to his bed, sitting on its soft comforter. For a prison, the place was pretty nice.

"Uh, ahem." Monobear's voice suddenly filled the air, from the intercom system. This is Monobear, speaking from the super comfy Headmaster's Office! It is now 10 pm, meaning Night Time, bastards! The cafeteria will be locked shortly, meaning anyone still cooking must leave immediately. Please get a good night's rest. Sweet dreams~!" With a click, he was gone.

David laid back on the sheets, staring up at the ceiling. It had been one eventful day, and he'd met lots of fascinating students. He had had...fun interacting with them all. It was the first time he'd done something like this, and he didn't crash and burn like he thought he would. If anything, he'd learn to properly talk to people face to face. But the scene from earlier inched into his brain.

_David stepped forward, raising his voice. "How do we graduate?"_

"_Easy Davey, just kill someone! And not get caught, that is!"_

Surely it wouldn't be that easy? To kill and not get caught, all to escape? He'd be extinguishing a life, and likely losing a piece of his own soul he'd never get back. He had just met these people- there was no way he could murder one of them.

_But one of them could murder you, _he thought. _And not feel any remorse. Your death would be meaningless. _

Out of nowhere, feelings of depressing trepidation and despair filled his core. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't speak. His whole body trembled. He brought his knees to his chin and wrapped his arms around them, curled up into a ball. He forgot about his laptop, his parents, and all the people he'd met today. There were no tears- he wasn't sad, he was terrified. And feeling completely, utterly alone.

_I'm going to die here_, was the last thing he thought before he fell asleep.

**Prologue End**

**16 Students Alive**

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**Wooh! It's been a while, but I've got the introductory chapter(s) posted! I decided to make it two chapters, since they were getting pretty lengthy. How do you guys like the characters? Which is your favorite? I wanted to have a super diverse cast with their own personalities and backstories that you will see as we continue in the story. **

**And, I have some good news! Free-times will be starting next chapter! PM me who you want David to hang out with (I'll be doing four for right now), and the ones who gets the most votes will get the free time events! I'll also be posting a poll that you guys vote on for who will be the first murderer (it won't affect the story, that's all set in stone), but it'd be cool to see if your hunches are right. So I need you guys to vote! **

**Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 1: Abnormal Days p1

**Welcome to another chapter! It's been a hectic few weeks for me, but I'm happy to present the beginning of the first chapter! I've gotten a lot done after a few assignments of mine were completed, so I'll have the next part uploaded ASAP! Lotsa exclamation marks!11**

**And also, I'd like to take the time to honor the very first reviewer, Spiritcherries! They've been a great help and also a huge inspiration for me to continue this story. I'll also be taking the time to mention other reviewers and voters here, as well as answer any questions or comments publically. So leave a review if you enjoy or have anything you want to say!**

**I'm also really excited to introduce the first Free Time Events as well! Thanks for the votes, and I'd like to inform everyone that you can vote as many times as you want! Anyone is open to vote, as well.**

**Okay, enough ramble.**** Let the despair commence!**

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><p>Chapter 1: Just a Load of Fun - Abnormal Days<p>

David's eyelids were fluttering open just as he heard the bear take over the intercom again.

"Rise and shine, bright pupils of Destiny's Hope Academy! It's time to get up, have fun, and give it everything you've got! This has been Monobear, wishing you a goooood morning~!" His sickly sweet voice made David groan and turn on his side. As much as he wanted to go back to his dreamless sleep, he knew he'd have to get up and eat. Peggy's muffin and cookies were delicious, but didn't constitute a good meal.

He sat up, and as his feet touched the floor, he remembered a crucial part of yesterday's events. Samson, the SHSL Cosplayer, had all of his luggage. There was a strong chance he still had his laptop. Excited, David strolled across the room and threw open a set of closet doors, looking at several of his own shirts and jeans, his pajamas (which he'd loved to have found last night), a few jackets and two pairs of sneakers. He checked the dresser, only seeing more of his clothes. This was everything he put in his suitcase, minus the laptop, and its charger. Thinking about it, he facepalmed.

_Of course Samson was able to keep everything_, he thought, closing the dresser door with a sigh. _All he had were his costumes. Nothing he could use to contact the outside world. We've efficiently been cut off._

Resigning himself to his defeat, he took a quick shower and changed into a clean white shirt and a plain pair of blue jeans. He cast his new room a despairing glance before making his way down the hall, to the cafeteria. Dustin was standing in front of his bedroom door, just a few feet away.

"Hi, Dustin," David greeted.

The shorter boy grinned. "Howdy. You on the way fer breakfast?"

"Yep." The two decided to walk together, making small chat in the otherwise empty corridor. "Did you get a good night's sleep?"

"Not really. Damn bear's face kept showing up all over my dreams of Wendy Merrin."

"Who's Wendy Merrin?" David asked, wondering if she was some movie star he didn't hear about.

"She was just about the prettiest girl in the entire town. And as pure as snow. Those pigs back home always wanted a piece of her but-" His face softened. "She wasn't like that. And she was nice."

David smiled. "She sounds great. Did you ask her out?"

"She'll be twenty-two this December, I think." Dustin laughed. "As much as I'd like to, there are laws against that, bud."

The two of them made it to the cafeteria, throwing open the doors to see the rest of the students mulling about around the long dining table. Some were nervous and apprehensive, and others were engaging in intense conversation. Yet they all threw furtive glances to the kitchen, where Peggy was cooking up a storm.

At the table, Dustin parted ways with David and sat next to Wendell, who was staring at his fork as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Cassandra, next to Darcy, looked up and motioned for David to take the empty seat on her right. Darcy gave a bright smile to the Web Designer and continued her story. "-and then my manager completely socked the guy! The sicko is knocked out cold, and Robin- that was my manager's name- he looks back at me and tells me to keep acting. I did it, but my eyes were bulging out of my head looking at his body spread out!"

"I'd imagine that a girl as famous as you would have to have the best of security," Cass said, a wild twinkle in her eye at being near one of her idols. "But it's an added bonus to have a diligent and strong manager to keep an eye on things, too!"

"And Robin is so great at keeping me on task. He's so dedicated…" Darcy looked down at her nails forlornly, picking at the chipping paint. "You know, he said he'd visit me as soon as classes started. That's going to be kind of tough, huh?"

"I wouldn't stress over it too much," answered Cass, offering an encouraging smile. "I'm sure someone's looking for us right now. There's no way Monobear could have trapped us in here indefinitely. We just need to wait."

David leaned over her, giving supporting words himself. "Robin's on the case, I'd bet."

"Thank you guys. Really." Darcy smoothed her skirt and turned to them. "But what about you? Anyone you're missing on the other side?"

David blushed, thinking back to his house, his mother and father, and laptop. "Not particularly. My parents...my friends."

"I bet you're having trouble getting used to this relaxed schedule, huh?" Darcy brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, looking in David's eyes with interest. "All those orders for websites must keep you pretty busy."

"Not as busy as you'd imagine." David explained slowly, looking away in embarrassment. Web designing hardly ever presented a challenge to him, so he could satisfy even the most nit-pickiest of his customers and in a decent amount of time, too. Over the years, he'd accumulated a large amount of orders, but he was currently on a "first come, first serve" basis, used in conjunction with "whoever is paying the most." As much as he liked to be fair, he had a business to run, and a college fund to pad. All of this, however, he wouldn't mention to Darcy. "It's a good amount of people...they don't overwhelm me or anything, so I can't complain."

"I only have a few people in particular." Cass's sudden interjection surprised David, who almost jumped out of his chair, forgetting she was there. "A few people I'd miss. One of them isn't even a person."

"A pet, then?" Darcy inquired innocently.

Cass frowned. "You could say that."

_Boom! Whooosh!_

All of the students spun around to look at the kitchen doors. Kathie, SHSL Stuntwoman, was running through them, being chased by an angry Peggy and her wooden spoon. Kathie didn't look as distressed as she did though, as she had procured a platter of steaming blueberry pancakes.

"I told you to wait until the rest is done!" Peggy wailed, her face red. Her short legs could only go so fast, and the stuntwoman had the stamina of an Olympian. With a wild shriek, Kathie leapt to the table and slid the platter to its center, not dropping one pancake on the way or losing her balance. The plate stopped in front of Libbie, who licked her lips and gave two thumbs up to her friend. At this point, Peggy had managed to reach the end of the table. "I don't want you to eat it until everything else is ready!"

"C'mon Pegs," James started, eyeing the stack of goodies greedily. "We've been waiting forever. I'm hungry!'

"But, this isn't all of the meal-"

Kathie laid a hand on Peggy's head in a sisterly way. "You've heard of multiple courses, right? Let this be the entree! And, it won't get cold!"

Peggy, about to protest, closed her mouth. She looked at all of the eager, somewhat gaunt faces around the table, and crossed her arms. "You guys better chew slowly, 'cuz this is all the blueberry pancakes you're getting!"

Charles, who had already stuck two of them with his fork, shrugged and fit as much of it as he could into his mouth. The other students followed suit, grabbing one or several pancakes from the platter until there was none left. Fortunately, Peggy had the foresight to make lots of them.

David had grabbed two for himself, biting off a piece of the first one and enjoying the filling fluffiness of the breakfast food. It didn't even need syrup - it was like she had put that into the pancake itself. He wasn't sure how she managed such a flavor, but he didn't care. Soon enough, Peggy left the students to their second helping, off to get more "courses."

"I'll tell you-" Dustin said, laid back in his chair. "It's a good thing she's not out for blood, because we'd all be goners."

"If she wanted to kill us all, she couldn't," Monica spoke, trying to keep her eyes open. "Monobear told me that a murderer could only kill two people at a time. To make things fair and more...fun, he said."

"Well that's kind of a relief, right?" said James. "We won't have to worry about some homemade bomb or serial killers, eh?"

"But do bear in mind, someone is still at risk." Everyone looked at the head of the table, where Ora was making her presence known. She'd finished her pancakes and was now standing up to address everyone as a whole. "Our situation is no less real, regardless of these 'rules' Monobear has created, and however friendly we appear to each other. Looks are deceiving."

"Do you honestly think we're going to kill each other off?" Cass piped up heatedly. "No one is that desperate, and no one is believing his story. It's ridiculous."

Ora gave her a withering look. "I don't know any of you. I'm not desperate, but I have no idea if you are. Or him, or her, or anyone else." She turned to the rest of the students, watching them in her steely gaze. "I propose we talk about anything we've discovered, as well as create our own set of rules to follow."

"Hold up," Norris interrupted. "Who voted to make you queen?"

"No one's made me queen. Not yet, anyway." Ora sat back down, but everyone knew she still had the floor. "While a leader would be beneficial for all of us, we should determine how much we know about the situation, first. And for the record, queens inherit the throne by blood, not democracy." While the SHSL Bouncer grumbled, she pointed to the student nearest to her- Wendell. "You. Tell us what you've found."

Wendell froze, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He gulped down his fear and tried to speak in as clear a voice as he could. "I haven't seen much. T-the stairs are blocked off."

"Anything you can tell me about those stairs?"

"Er...there's no basement?"

"Good job, Wendell. Wasn't so hard, hm?" Ora, then turned to Darcy. "I think you have some things to say about that, too."

Darcy thought about it for a minute, then nodded. "The student store...there's a lot of junk in there, but we can only use Mono-coins if we want to buy anything. Monobear explained to me that he hands them out as rewards and has also hidden them around the school. Also, there's this creepy elevator…"

"I can tell you about that," David inserted, raising his hand. "You can only go down, and that elevator looks like the only way to get to whatever is below us. But, that's blocked off, too."

"It's like… a direct contradiction to Rule 4." Libbie had managed to scarf down the last of her pancakes and retrieved her ElectroID, reading from the screen. "'With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Destiny's Hope Academy at your discretion.' I know the place is freakin huge, so do these count as 'minimal restrictions'?"

Ora said nothing, only raising her brow in curious response. "Let's move on. What else have we found?"

Margaret thrust a petite finger into the air, muttering something before Ora told her to speak up. She tried again. "There are tapes in the AV room."

"Tapes?" Samson questioned excitedly. Today he was dressed like Ichigo Kurosaki from the Bleach anime show, with his spiky ginger hair and shihakushō outfit. "What kind of tapes? Any funny cartoons?"

Margaret shook her head. "Nothing like that. All I've seen is lots of nature, and a few scenes of some villages and towns. I came across one of a big city, like New York, but that's the only one."  
>James' eyes lit up, as he suddenly remembered something. "Me and Charles found a storage room, and there's lots of neat stuff in there! Right, Charles?"<p>

"If you can call it neat," the drummer replied scornfully. "Sure we found what we needed, but it's a...big mess in there. There's so much junk you can hardly figure out what's what."

Ora chose to ignore Cass's loud snickering. "Anything else?" Kathie raised her hand, uncharastically polite. "Yes?"

"What's with that weird bath thing near the sauna?" she asked, earning a few other confused murmurs from the group.

The SHSL Comedian smiled, cracking his knuckles, then explained the Group Bath to everyone else. "It's a, heh, fun way to get clean," he ended, throwing flirty winks at select people.

"Ya know, Carrot Top brings up a good point." Libbie said. "I don't know if I've ever heard of this place having a group bath. Or...anywhere really."

"Or just _two_ classrooms." Cass added.

Ora regarded all of them with pursed lips and a furrowed brow. Before she could speak, Peggy came bounding out of the kitchen with another course - bacon, eggs, and toast. Some of the students declined, but most took the food gratefully. David himself gulped down the crispy strips of bacon like there was no tomorrow- he hadn't had it since his parents put him on a limited meat diet and he figured, you only live once. Especially when you could die at any given second.

Ora was one of the few to turn away more food, letting the rest of them eat for a minute before standing and continuing the conversation. "Everyone's brought up some interesting points. It's time now that I ask you a question. Have any of you ever stepped foot in this school before yesterday?"

She was met with a chorus of "No" and, for those whose mouths were full, "Nuh-uh." She nodded. "Alright. You'll have to forgive me for being the only one to have the last, crucial piece of information for this investigation. Sure, I'm a reliable source, but any good lawyer knows to always have some backup-"

"Just tell us already," said Cass, annoyed and impatient. Her bacon and toast lay untouched on her plate. Likewise, the students were feeling a change in the atmosphere. Like something was about to occur.

"Anyway, I've come to realize that, after listening to you all and going off of my own research-" she placed her hands behind her back, looking grave. "-We aren't where we're supposed to be."

Cass groaned, wishing she'd get to the point. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, this is not Destiny's Hope Academy."

Silence. From everyone in the room. Even Libbie stopped eating.

David was beginning to feel sick, and starting to regret all that bacon.

"Then…" Margaret was tugging on the ends of her beanie, nervously looking at the other kids. "Where are we?"

Ora sighed, sitting back down. "I wish I could say, honestly. I have some theories, and the evidence to support any of them is spotty but… at the very least, I'm impressed with this Mastermind's abilities. And...wealth, if one of my theories proves correct."

Charles was tapping on the table incessantly. Bryon stared at a spot on his tie, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. People were panicking, not sure how to react to this news. David didn't know how to process it. He wanted time to stop so he could. But the world kept spinning.

"T-tell us about your theory," Wendell requested in a quiet voice.

Ora narrowed her eyes, not even looking at anyone else anymore. "I've been inside Destiny's Hope Academy once before, with my father. I was young, about 12 or 13, but already in my interest of prosecuting. My father was on some kind of business with the student council members, but brought me along because he saw my talent and he wanted me to 'see the school I'd be going to when I was good and ready.' The place was beautiful and grand, so the images stuck with me." She looked up, looking even more grave than before. "When we first woke up here, I was already skeptic. There are similarities, so many similarities a trained eye wouldn't detect half of them. Destiny's Hope, as you know, has it's older sister in Hope's Peak Academy, located in Japan. The architects modeled Destiny's Hope closely after Hope's Peak, but still, many things changed. There was no group bath, and most definitely not an elevator that led to some basement level...and only a basement level. There were more than just two classrooms, designed to accommodate a larger student population. The school government was organized differently, and class requirements ranged for the two academies. Yes, many differences." Ora bit her lip. "It's silly, but I'm more likely to believe someone somehow recreated the entire academy and… got some things wrong...instead of the alternative…"

At this point, an oblivious Peggy had been on her way out of the kitchen with a tray of breakfast muffins, before a familiar monochrome bear popped into existence and startled her into dropping it. The muffins hit the floor, but no one cared. All eyes were on Monobear.

"Welcome to Japan!" he cried.

"So, I was right." Ora muttered, looking miserable.

"As right as the good ole' rain, Ora!" Monobear said. "Boy, you kids catch on fast. The last ones weren't nearly as smart as this group. I kind of wish you would've waited to figure it out until, say, Chapter 5. It'd be much more suspenseful then!

"Start making sense, you…you fuckin'..." Norris was fuming, trying hard to contain himself. "Just what the fuck did you do to us?"

"Nothing bad! Geez, you act like I drugged you and transported you thousands of miles overseas to another country and ran over your dog or something! I mean, two out of those three I _did_ do, but at least you weren't the dog!" Monobear giggled. "Dogs are so cute, don't you think?"

"Well, why?" Cass implored, giving the bear a harsh look.

"It's much safer here guys, trust me. As your Headmaster, I must put your best interests first! Uprooting is part of the learning process, after all." Monobear picked up a muffin from the ground, gave it a sniff and dropped the entire thing in his mouth. He stood there, emotionless, as his body shook and churned. Then it stopped, and a cloud of gas was emitted from behind his back. All of the students grabbed their noses, not wanting to get a whiff of him. "What? It's steam!"

"It'd be a lot easier taking over Destiny's Hope while we're there, instead of kidnapping and moving us, don't you think?" Ora pressed on. "Or did you truly not take over Destiny's Hope?"

"Oh, I took it over all right!" Monobear flashed a wicked grin. "But don't you worry your pretty little talented heads about _that. _Essentially, you guys _are_ Hope's Peak! Ya know, home is where the heart is?"

"Tch." Monica clicked her tongue before letting her head fall onto the table, sound asleep. She didn't even wake herself up this time, sick of Monobear's cruel tricks.

"You guys just need to get used to everything! A...welcome ceremony might just help-"

"No," cut Cass, her head in her hands. "I can't take anymore of that drivel."

"Okay, you guys don't want to see your Headmaster's hard work and dedicated tribute to his students. I understand." Monobear looked sad for a second, then perked up. "But don't worry! Don't cry! I'll have something for you lickety split! Just come to the gymnasium at 8 o'clock tonight for a _beary_ special presentation!" Without waiting for a reply, Monobear waddled out of the lunchroom, causing quite a ruckus in the hall. The students stared at him in disgust as he left. Those who weren't losing their minds, at least.

"WHAAAAAAA-" Screeched Kathie, grabbing at her hair.

"Everyone's wrong! You're wrong!" Wendell threw an accusing finger at the SHSL Prosecutor. "H-he's lying! This is all a sick joke!"

James was looking at the ceiling, thunderstruck. "I'll never be able to fly again. I won't see my parents..."

A confused Peggy found tears springing to her eyes, looking at her ruined creation on the ground. "I w-want to go home. I want to go hooooooooome!"

David found himself in a midst of panic, fear, and anger. Some, like Norris and Charles, were fuming. Wendell and Margaret were a shaking mess. Libbie chewed her nails nervously and beside David, Cass and Darcy looked at each other in uncertainty. Samson and Dustin sat with emotionless masks across their faces. Even the comedian was speechless, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Ora and Monica were the only ones looking rather passive, Ora watching everyone breakdown and Monica still napping.

_This is right where he wants us, _David though, gripping the edge of the table tightly. _Scared and vulnerable. _Surprisingly, David had come to terms with the predicament this morning, after knowing he'd never see his laptop again. He was on the other side of the world, away from his family. He'd lost everything. He wasn't emotionally tied anymore. So he knew he'd have to be the one to help the others.

"I want to go home, too" He whispered, but loud enough for everyone to hear him. "I want to see my parents...and go outside...but we'll never get there like this." He looked up to see Cass's careful gaze on him, as well as that of the other Ultimates. All eyes were on him. "We won't get anywhere if we let him get into our heads. I'm just as scared as the rest of you...but we can't let ourselves succumb to our fear. If anything, we should let our fear fuel our efforts to escape this hellhole." He was speaking clearer and confidently now. "I don't know what's right...I don't know if we're in Destiny's Hope or Hope's Peak...but I do know that in this moment, we have to trust eachother."

"Or face the alternative" Monica said dreamily. She had woken up in time to hear David's rousing speech. "Which is, we all die. Even worse, we die knowing were surrounded by horrible people."

Some of the faces around the table were lightening up, understanding the reasoning behind their words. Peggy had managed to stop crying, and picked up each of her broken muffins. "I think... you guys are nice," She stated when she finished, putting the remains on her tray.

"Yeah. I've already made friends here." Libbie smiled. I know that no one's going to stab me in the back. I trust you guys."

"Even I must say, trust will be crucial these next few weeks, or however long we're here," Ora said.

Dustin cleared his throat. "I would say just a couple of days. Whatever Monobear's plan, he's a jackass fer thinking he'll get away with it. Whether we're in the US or Japan-" He stood up, throwing throwing a fist into the air. "-the authorities are sure to be figuring this out. We can't give up hope!"

Darcy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! If we just sit here, we can't get anything done! We've got to help those outside any way we can!"

Norris sighed, leaning into his chair and finally calming down. He thought for a moment before speaking. "So what you're saying is, we need a plan. Not much we can do at this point."

"Ah, Ah. That's where I must interrupt." Ora's stood again and her voice filled the room, even more so than before. She placed her hands on the table top. "There is always something to do. If you'll remember, I suggested a while ago we create our own set of rules to follow, to ensure that there will not be any opportunity to kill and get away with it whatsoever. I'll stress that same suggestion now. Does anyone object to it?

The Ultimates shook their heads, except for Cass, who raised a hand. "How will we be sure anyone follows these rules?"

"That's to be seen once I give everyone the new guidelines," Ora explained slowly, as if speaking to a child. "Now, the first rule would be that no one leaves their room during Nighttime."

James scratched his head. "I thought we weren't supposed to do that anyway?" He asked.

"You'd be surprised how many night owls there are, especially those of teenage years." Ora raised up two fingers. "Second rule. No one travels alone. I want buddies on the clock at all times."

Bryon snickered. "Even to the bathrooms?"

"If, for whatever reason, the bathroom in your own room is inoperable, make sure you take a classmate of the same gender with you. They can even wait out the door if you want." Ora continued. "Rule three is that you report any suspicious activity you see. Even of you think you can trust the person, it's better to catch them and be sorry than for a murder to occur virtually under our noses."

"Anything else?" Wendell asked, listening with rapt attention.

"The last one is not too murder, of course." With that, Ora sat back down. "Okay, questions and concerns, please."

"Yeah, I got one," Charles announced. "How can we enforce the Nighttime rule?"

"That's going to take some major effort on our part. Someone will have to take watch for a certain sum of hours, and rotate with another when they get tired," said Monica with a yawn. "We'll have to know who's on watch every night, so in the chance a murder occurs, we have someone to blame."

"B-but what if the murderer is clever and like...slips past the watchman?" James chuckled nervously.

"Then the watchman better have a hell of an alibi to not be able to notice that." Norris answered. "They would be situated in a position that would allow them to see all the way down the hall. If anyone opened their door, he'd know."

"A-and if a killer happens to, um...rush the watchman?" Inquired Margaret.

"I don't think he'd go down without a fight." Charles grinned. "He'd make some noise. Hell, we could even give him a bell to tie around his neck."

Ora nodded. "A bit obtuse, but we're getting somewhere. The question is, who wants to volunteer for the job?"

"I'll do it," Norris spoke up. I guard for a living, and I'm used to the long hours."

"Yeah, big guy! No one would mess with him for sure!" Bryon pumped a fist in the air.

"Thank you, Pickering. I have to say, this first little 'Meeting' came along extremely well." Ora turned to David, startling him with her genuinely compassionate look. "Cheers to for uplifting our spirits."

"Yeah!" Kathie exclaimed, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "You really got us back into the groove!"

As everyone told him their thanks, a deep blush crept onto his cheeks. Cass was smirking, smug as can be.

"Well if that's all, I call this meeting to a close. Let us all find out as much as we can, and remember the rules." Ora adjourned them much like a judge in a courtroom would, without a gavel but still reeking of authority. The ultimates pushed themselves away from the dining table, going their separate ways. Following the newly established rules, several of them broke off into pairs. There were a few loners who left on their own, but one in particular hadn't yet - Cassandra.

_Well, she's the only one left_, he thought, walking towards her. _At least we've already established some semblance of a friendship._

Cass, staring idly at the trees outside of the cafeteria, noticed him approaching with a smile. "Couldn't stay away, huh? Must be the Reporter's Charm."

"The what?" asked David, tilting his head to the side.

"Reporters have to be attractive, charismatic, easygoing, and good talkers. I draw people in with my image and keep 'em where I want 'em with my words." Cass beamed, placing her hands on her hips. "I like to think that's how you immediately gravitated towards me. I know, I'm pretty hard to stay away from."

David rolled his eyes. "Sure." He looked away for a second, unsure how to proceed.

Cass took the lead, non-surprisingly. "You want to hang out?"

"Sure," David answered, silently cursing himself. "Any ideas where?"

"Do I have to think of everything?" Cass asked jokingly, a smirk playing on her lips. "You pick something."

"Alright." David, taking a gamble, led her out of the cafeteria and headed in a random direction. After a while, they came across the storage room, missing it's previous inhabitants and looking significantly cleaner. The SHSL Web Designer stood in the doorway, his arms hanging awkwardly by his sides. He wondered why he had brought her here.

"You must have some odd ideas on having fun." Cass commented, pushing past him and walking into the aisles of boxes. "What did you want to do, take stock?"

"Er...no-" David stuttered, trying to make up something so he didn't look like even more of a fool. "Um...why not look for something we can...use?"

Cass stopped to turn around, picking something off a shelf and holding it up to the light. "I doubt I'm going to need this."

"What is it?"

"A marble. There's a box...full of marbles. A wonderful find," she rolled her eyes in sarcasm.

David shrugged. "You could bean me on the head with it."

The reporter gasped. "I can't believe I didn't think of that myself! That's a pretty good idea, and as a reward, I won't _tell you_ when I'm going to do it!"

"H-hey, that sounds like a punishment, not a reward! And let's not get carried away!" Another sound of protest wormed it's way out of David's mouth, but he could only stare as he watched Cassandra fill her boots with handfuls of the small spheres, giggling maniacally.

"Oh c'mon, Davey! The element of surprise is the best element there is. As long as you stay on your guard every second of the day, you'll be fine!" She patted her footwear, adjusting it so that her boot could accommodate its new inhabitants. _Just how much stuff can she fit in there?_ David thought.

He shook his head and inspected a few of the shelves, dismissing some of the useless contents like art and office supplies. He saw a roll of masking tape and tore off a strip, grinning wildly at the girl on the other side of the room. She noticed his uncharacteristic face and the tape, and blanched. "You wouldn't," she breathed.

"I would." He replied.

The two spent the rest of their time running around the storage room, David chasing Cassandra with all intent of wrapping her into a cocoon (starting with her mouth). Cass's squeals of fear filled the air, but they gave way to peals of laughter as David suddenly stopped, clutching his sides and breathing hard. He was tuckered out, not used to such sudden bursts of activity. Cass was practically on the floor in her delight.

"You're so out of shape!" she cried, doubled over. "You just got outrun by a girl! Ha!"

"S-shut it," David huffed, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He stood up straight, looking at the girl lost in her mad cackling. An idea crept into his head. While she was vulnerable, he took the opportunity to dash over to her and stick a long strip over her mouth, which was opened in the middle of a laugh. He jumped back as she swept an arm at him and found it was his turn to laugh as she struggled to take it off. After a minute, she gave up and looked to him for help, her glare turning into a pitiful, wide-eyed gaze.

"Fine, I guess," he said, still smiling. As he made his way over to her, she landed a hit in his gut, making him double over again in pain. She slipped the tape off with ease, erupting into another fit of giggles. "Bested by a girl, again," she said, placing the tape in his hair.

"Like gender...matters," he muttered, before letting out a groan. David took the time to recuperate and the two proceeded to look around some more, before leaving the storage room with smiles and a story to tell. Cassandra departed at her dorm to "update her findings," and David found himself alone again.

_Well, I've got some time left. Who else could I hang out with?_ he thought. He got his answer in Margaret, who he saw leaving the laundry room. _Margaret _is _pretty nice… I should ask her._ He walked to the SHSL Blogger, catching her before she got too far away. She turned around to see him coming, giving him a small smile. "What's up, Margaret?" he greeted.

"Nothing much," she answered in that lilting, soft voice. "Just finishing some errands."

"Errands? This is only our second day here." said David, immediately wondering if there was something he was supposed to be doing or if the girl just liked to be neat.

"Oh, uh, errands isn't really the right word, I guess. More like, um, tasks?" Margaret tried. "That's not really good, either… I'm sorry I don't-"

"-Don't worry about it," David put his hands in his pockets, trying to act nonchalant so they _both_ wouldn't act so stiffly. "What else do you have to do? I could help."

"Ah, that'd be great," she tugged on a corner of her beanie, thinking. "The last thing is...reviewing more tapes in the AV Room."

"You're still on that?" David inquired, impressed. "That's great! Have you found anything?"

"Nothing of particular note. Um, I've made headway but there's still lots to see… I hope to be done by tomorrow evening." She looked up at him through the bangs partly obscuring her red eyes. "Shall we get going?

The pair traveled to the AV Room, and David saw all the progress the SHSL Blogger had made in just one day. The boxes full of tapes had been unloaded and set out across the first two tables at the front of the room. She'd separated all the watched tapes onto the left desk and the unseen ones on the right, an unfortunately huge pile compared to the first. Still, she'd made a significant dent.

Walking down the aisle, Margaret pointed to the pile of watched tapes. "So far, I've seen everything ranging from mountains, to prairies, and a couple of residential areas, as well as, uh, a few cities and towns. The only people I've seen were just… walking around, seemingly oblivious to the fact they were, uh, being recorded. Acting normal." She turned to the massive amount of unwatched tapes, deeply distressed. "I'm hoping they aren't all like that."

David nodded, slightly dumbfounded at the sheer amount of the work done, and work left to do. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do this anymore, and then he'd had a thought. How long had Margaret been at this?

"Margaret, when did you go to bed?" He asked.

She said nothing, choosing to look down at her shoes.

"Margaret." he demanded, concerned.

"Er...the bear said I couldn't sleep anywhere except the dorms, so I, um, didn't sleep-" Her voice was even quieter now, but David could hear every word. "-I got kinda carried away...that happens when I get too focused on something."

"Margaret, that's really dangerous," David said gently, now aware of how tired and sad the girl sounded. "We've got to get our rest so we can beat this thing. We've also got to be super careful in case one of us decides to kill...if you're here alone all night, you'd be an easy target."

"But with the new rule, no one will leave their room during Night Time…" Margaret tried to implore her case, looking at David with pleading eyes. "I could stay in here and...people will think I'm in my room. The student on guard wouldn't let anyone out either, so…"

David stayed adamant. "Margaret, everyone is supposed to follow that rule. Everyone stays in their dorm, where they can _lock the door_. What if the watchman had full intent to kill? He could come in here and...and the others could find you and wonder just what happened and…" now he was getting choked up. He didn't think talking about murder would be so hard. The gravity of the situation was constantly weighing down on him, as it was now.

"B-but you guys could figure it out-"

"Margaret." David sighed, his own eyes pleading now. "Your death is not worth catching a potential killer. Why sacrifice yourself when you can adhere to the rules and everyone...can be okay." He took a deep breath, wondering if he should say what he was currently thinking. "I don't want...anything to happen to you. Alright?"

Margaret mulled over his words with a set jaw and a hard look in her eyes. Then, she nodded, letting out a shaky breath and relaxing all her muscles as she exhaled. David saw some of the stress she was releasing from her body. She looked up at him with a crooked smile. "I suppose you don't want to look at some tapes with me right now, hm?"

"We could do something else. Maybe just talk," David suggested, taking a seat. "You could tell me about yourself if you want."

Margaret took a seat as well, casting her eyes over the mountain of tapes before answering softly. "There's not a lot of, um, interesting things about me."

"Okay. But there's still something right? Tell me about it," supplicated David earnestly.

"Uhm...well...before I got busy with the blog… I used to run my middle school's newspaper. Chief editor." She nervously played with her fingers. David could tell she wasn't sure if she was allowed to say any more. "And?" he prompted.

"You could say I was… good at it." She went on. "In hindsight… it's what got me into blogging, I think. A lot of people read it. They told me I was a really great writer and smart and funny… and gave some good advice sometimes. I'm sorry, I'm bragging aren't I...heh…"

"You're fine. It's just, I didn't know you were funny." David's eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped. "N-no, no, no, I didn't mean it like that, I meant, uh...so you're funny? I guess is what I meant? Ugh, I suck at this…" David looked away, blushing deeply and feeling more embarrassed than he had when he woke up here and bumped his head on a desk. To his surprise, he heard a subdued laugh coming from the blogger. He turned around to see a sleeve crossed over her mouth and a delighted twinkle in her eye.

"I get it…heh," she coughed, and gave another low giggle. "I don't think I'm funny either."

"No! I meant I thought you were funny! So funny!" exclaimed David, trying to salvage his explanation.

Margaret chuckled even more. "I'm playing with you."

David paused, then let his body deflate into the chair. "You're terrible. First Cass and now you. I'm pretty sure this is bullying."

She grinned, showing her white teeth. "Maybe I am funny after all. Anyway, my school had to shut down the paper due to budget cuts, but I found some, uh, solace in the internet." She puffed out a cheek, thinking hard. "A lot of the students who read the paper found me there. I only wrote about minor stuff, mentioned the occasional political bit and uploaded lots of art and photography. I think...they were the first of my following, and spread the word I was online. Then it escalated...kind of, um, quick, you could say."

"You mean, grew from a school audience to a national audience. And now, an international audience." David said. "That's really phenomenal , Margaret!"

"Heh, it's ironic. With such an huge fanbase, I don't expose them to much. Just some pictures and my, er, opinion." Margaret looked down again, shyly playing with her skirt. "But they think I'm interesting so...I have to tell myself I am. Even when I don't believe it. My followers have been...lovely, but sometimes I think, too gracious."

"Don't sell yourself short. If you weren't interesting, we wouldn't love you as much as we did." It took a second to register in David's mind the words he'd just said. When he did, he reverted back to a stuttering mess, and Margaret cracked cracked smile.

After a bit more conversation, David recommended that Margaret go to her dorm to get some much needed sleep before the meeting at 8. She agreed, and the two separated in the hall with a friendly goodbye, feeling much more comfortable with one another. David, wandering around the foyer, heard a noise emanating from the infirmary. Curious, he entered the room and discovered Bryon with his back turned to him, pulling medical supplies out of the cabinet. He was amassing quite a collection, which included stethoscopes, band-aids, gauze, syringes and empty pill bottles. In his hand now was another pill bottle, currently full of unidentified drugs. He opened the cap, took a sniff, then dumped it in the sink with a grimace.

_Er...I guess I talk to him_, David thought with a twinge of unease. _I could at least ask him just what the hell he's doing. _

"Just what the hell are you doing?"

Bryon jumped, dropping the now empty bottle and turning around with a surprised expression. As he recognized David, his features softened. "Don't scare me like that, babe!"

David blushed, his hands turning into fists. "D-don't call me that!"

Bryon grinned. "Oh, it's all in good fun! Besides, you're a little too plain to be my type."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means what it means, and nothing else!" Bryon seemed to enjoy torturing the helpless boy before him.

David, tail between his legs, decided to reiterate his question. "What are you doing, though?"

"Oh, I'm just getting a few props for a very special project I'm working on! Everyone looks so mopey, so I'm taking the initiative to cheer everyone up with some humor." Bryon turned back to his pile of goodies, stuffing them in the oversized pockets of his suit jacket.

"Just what kind of project are you putting on, with all that stuff?" David questioned, getting curious and anxious at the same time.

"You'll have to wait and seeeee!" Bryon faced David again, his pockets bulging with the supplies. "If I told you now, the fun would be lost! Where's your sense of childhood wonder, eh?"

"If lost it when I entered this hellhole." David answered curtly.

A clouded look came across Bryon's face. "You don't know hell," He muttered darkly, or at least, that's what David thought he said. But just as the sudden, sobering look had appeared, it vanished, and Bryon was beaming again. "I hope to help you find it again, especially with _this_ performance!"

Undaunted by Bryon's change in expression (and not sure if he imagined it), David spoke. "You really must like performing. How'd you get started?"

"Boy, there's a story!" Bryon sighed, wonder in his eyes. "Well, I guess it aaaaaaall started with my miraculous birth. Mom always knew she'd pop out a-"

"Fast forward, please." David demanded, wincing.

"Oh yes, early adolescence is the best part! I used to entertain with little shows and attractions on my neighborhood block. A lot of the other kids liked em, and hey, I had a big imagination and an even bigger head. I thought I was the best in the world, even said so to this one random stranger in a black trenchcoat!"

"Um-!"

"As it turns out, Shady Trenchcoat turned out to be Corey Shimitsu, an up and coming producer who saw my talent from the get go! After just one block show, he talked to my parents and worked out deal- they were skeptic at first, but they looked him up and and found out he was totally legit. So, my parents sat me down, and asked me if I wanted to be a star. I told them that I already was one!" He began to guffaw, finding that the funniest joke in century. David managed a small smile before the comedian began. "Anyways, Corey set up some tours and got me huge recognition, and I got pretty big! It's all thanks to him, getting with the program and doing something about my remarkable ability." He put his hands on his hips, nose turned up triumphantly.

"Truly...wonderful." David said sarcastically.

"Glad you think so! Whelp, I'm gonna drop these off in my room." Bryon patted his pockets, blissfully unaware of David's disinterest. "See you later, babe!"

"H-hey!"

After Bryon left, David pondered over what to do next. Coming up with nothing, he resigned himself to going back to his room and waiting until eight p.m. came along. He passed no one else on the way either, thinking the rest of his fellow classmates were busy.

Once he was back in his dorm, he locked the door and plopped onto the bed. He closed his eyes for a nap, and it seemed like it wasn't 10 minutes later when he heard a blaring noise blast from the intercom.

"Attention students!" Monobear was back at it, his shrill voice sounding excited over the PA system. "It's time to assemble in the gymnasium! No dilly-dallying now, or else you'll see me get _very upset_!" With that last comment full of malice, he shut up. David yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Might as well…" he mumbled, heading out the door. Finding no one else in the hall, he proceeded to the gym alone, mulling over the possibilities of what Monobear could've cooked up for them. Whatever it was, David promised himself that he wouldn't let it get to him.

Once he entered the gymnasium, he saw that it was already full of students, standing around two rows of folding chairs that sat in front of a large white tarp. An antique film projector was trained on the tarp, running but not playing anything. A few of the students were inspecting it, but Monobear, standing on a pile of boxes behind it, sent them away.

"You vultures don't get any peeksies! Everyone watches at the same time!" The bear swiped his unsheathed claws at them, causing the curious souls to flee. Kathie, who had almost been scratched, bared her teeth at him, but nonetheless sat down with the rest of them. "Ah, the slowpoke made it!"

David frowned, thinking Monobear was talking to him, until he turned around and saw Margaret enter the gym with heavily lidded eyes. She took a dumbstruck look at the setup, then sighed, taking her seat next to Wendell. David scanned the crowd and saw the last empty seat next to Cassandra, who winked at him from the front. He took it and caught her arm, leaning in.

"Do you know what this is for?" he asked in a whisper.

Cass shrugged. "Probably going to show us more nature documentaries."

"Kind of a strange thing to be forced to see."

Cass glowered at the blank screen. "This whole thing is strange."

At that moment, Monobear cleared his throat and all the ultimates looked up at him. "Now then, I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here."

"Not for anything important, I assume." Norris grumbled. "Nothing you say is ever important."

"Watch it buddy!" Monobear glared at the teen, then resumed. "I'll have you know that you're all about to partake in the greatest freshmen orientation video ever! Heck, the best _video_ ever, created by yours truly!"

"Don't you _dare_ offend on the cinematic arts again!" Libbie screeched. "Nothing beats _Gone with the Wind!_"

"Or _Titanic_!" James added. Charles, sitting beside him, shook his head.

"Quiet, you! You're gonna watch it and you're gonna like it!" Monobear dimmed the lights and turned on the projector with a click, and David watched as the tarp filled up with color. The first image to take place was the Destiny's Hope Academy emblem, a golden shield with a textbook, paintbrush, and baseball bat imposed on it.

"Tsk." Cass tapped her foot impatiently. "We aren't even in Destiny's Hope."

"May I remind everyone that it is exceptionally rude to speak during a feature film presentation!" Monobear called out angrily. Cass pursed her lips but stayed silent.

Bright yellow words flashed up on the screen. **Welcome to Destiny's Hope Academy, where we celebrate all walks of life. **The sentence gave way to a shot of the school, where the congregated ultimates were _supposed_ to be. David recognized the large iron gates, impeccable lush hedges and lawn statues, as well as the impossible size of the academy. He could feel an ache in his stomach. **Here is where we recognize the talent in everyone, no matter what background. **A clip of a small goldfish, swimming energetically in a massive tank, came onto the screen. Cass gasped, clutching the edge of her chair. David turned to her, confused. Her eyes were glued to the fish. Suddenly, that clip was replaced by another one, of a handsome tan boy with wild hair and a crooked smile. Libbie was in the clip with him, as the two held hands on a tennis court. The real Libbie bit her lip, her eyes full of longing.

_Oh...that's his game_, David thought. _He's showing everyone what they miss most. Their past. _

Next, the students watched a middle-aged woman in a flowery dress sitting in a bench on a house porch, sound asleep and surrounded by a field of yard full of tulips and daisies. Dustin smiled, leaning over to Wendell to whisper "That's my ma." Then, the image of a helicopter amidst a clear blue sky filled the screen. David looked around, seeing James look forlornly at the ground.

The film was full of similar clips, ones that evoked a response out of several people. Samson threw a whooping fit when he saw a large convention center, and Wendell shed a tear as he viewed his family's grand library. Monica watched, wide awake and amazed as she and everyone else saw her elegant king-sized bed, stacked with dishes of mouthwatering food. David was just getting over the fact that Monica was an avid foodie, when he saw a clip of himself in his room, madly typing at keys on his laptop. He blushed and sank lower into his chair, as Cass gave him a smug smirk. Margaret sighed as she observed herself on a plane, looking out over the clouds and more excited than anyone had ever seen her. Kathie giggled maniacally at a shot of herself leaping through the air and landing in a net, several hundred feet below the roof she'd just been standing on, and Peggy squealed in happiness as she saw a pudgy orange cat lounging on a red couch. Charles whistled at his old custom drum set. Even Norris reacted to a girl about their age, who looked much like him except smaller and more delicate. However, David couldn't decipher who some of the clips related to. The rest of his class watched with unwavering poker faces as an ordinary red hair tie flashed up on the screen, along with a gold watch, and a karaoke set.

**Here is where we honor **_**you. **_After these words rolled onto the screen, the gym lights came on and the projector was powered down. The students turned around to see Monobear clapping boisterously.

"Bravo, bravo! Encore I say!" He exclaimed, then noticed he was the only one applauding. He stuck his arms behind his back, blushing. "Geez, what a crowd."

"Aaaaaaand your point for that was-?" Charles asked with a subdued yawn.

"To bore us to death." Ora answered, annoyed. She stood up and walked towards the exit. "Let me remind you all to adhere to the rules," She called out, throwing open the gym doors and vanishing. The students looked at one another and got up, following her lead.

"Hey! You haven't been dismissed yet!" Monobear yelled while flailing his arms.

Norris stopped by him on his way out. "That was, yet again, another huge waste of time."

"You went and caused us to miss dinner." Monica said sleepily. "It's already 9:42."

Monobear glared at her. "You can't rush perfection! My masterpiece was not a waste of time!"

"It totally was." Cass said, stretching. "If you're going to annoy us, at least make it good."

"Now I'll have to get up extra early and make everyone a super big breakfast, so we don't starve to death!" Peggy declared. She marched out of the gym in a huff, mumbling "I'll have to make cookies, and cupcakes to deliver, just so no one keels over…"

"Ingrates! Degenerates! You don't deserve my good graces!" cried Monobear, jumping up and down on his teetering pile of boxes. "I'll give you something _'good,'_ alright!"

David simply shook his head as he turned his back on the pathetic scene, leaving the gym behind Cassandra. He could still hear Monobear yelling as the doors closed shut.

"I wonder why he showed us that." Cass asked, waiting for David to catch up to her before resuming walking.

"He was pretty insistent on getting some form of 'orientation' done. Maybe the entrance ceremony mattered that much to him?"

"He doesn't seem like the type to care about formalities. There must be some other reason." Cass pulled out her notebook and pencil, scribbling furiously in it while managing not to crash into anything. The continued to the dorms in silence, noticing Norris bidding several students goodnight as they entered their rooms. David waved, and Norris gave him a small nod before sitting down in another folding chair at the very end of the hall. Cass looked up from her writing. "You sure you're gonna be okay here all night?" she asked the bouncer.

Norris nodded. "I do this all the time. I figure I can get some sleep during the day, do this at night, and everything's good."

"We could find someone to switch out with you, if you want."

He smiled. "Possibly, if I get tired enough. Probably won't though."

"Alright. Good night." Cass dipped her head and gave David a pat on the shoulder, before departing into her room. David, a man of few words, wished the bouncer good night as well and left. Once back in his room, he remembered to lock the door and stripped out of his clothes. He slipped into his bed sheets just as Monobear's announcement rang out.

"Uh, ahem. This is Monobear, speaking from the super comfy Headmaster's Office! It is now 10 PM, meaning Nighttime. The cafeteria and gymnasium will be locked shortly. Please get a good night's rest. Sweet dreams~!"

David laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. He thought back to 24 hours ago, back to where he was a physical and emotional wreck. He knew nothing about their situation had improved, but he didn't feel so hopeless. Even without his laptop, he was functioning fine, and still alive. They had a plan, and now, no one had a chance to kill. For the first time, he could breathe easy.

He slipped into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 1: Abnormal Days p2

**Author's Note**

**Welcome to another chapter! Lotsa stuff to happen in this one, and even more in the next one! And, dare I say it, death will occur veeeeeeery sooon! So keep reading and vote on who you think will bite the bullet first!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>David woke up to a big fluffy bum in front of his face.<p>

"Kuwaaaaagh!" He rolled out of bed and onto his floor, his legs tangled in the sheets. Monobear jumped, too, landing on the foot of the bed and shivering.

"Geez! Don't be such a scaredy-cat!" He screeched, then smoothed a patch of his white fur.

David sat up, grumbling. "Just why the hell are you in here?"

"Whaaaat? You weren't the one who ordered the Monobear Deluxe Wake Up Call?" Monobear put a paw to his chin. "All you kids look the same to me. Just pants and skirts waiting for slaughter."

"W-would you stop that?!" David demanded, standing up and smoothing the sheets over as Monobear hopped off the bed. "No one is going to kill anyone else."

"Bah! You're deluded if you believe that. Someone always says they would _never_ murder and the next thing they remember is sticking a knife in someone's back. So cliche." Monobear sighed. "I expected more out of you guys. Your headmaster is very disappointed."

David glowered at the bear. "You don't _get_ to be disappointed. Get out."

"No one ever wants to spend time with me. Just you wait, sometime soon everyone will be vying for my attention!"

David walked over to the door, yanking it open. "The time is not now. Leave."

Monobear didn't move. Instead, he giggled, looking past David into the hallway. Another entity laughed too, a laugh that sent chills down the Web Designer's back. He didn't look behind him, he knew it was Cass. He also knew he was standing in nothing but his boxers.

"Plaid. Very fitting," she breathed, trying to stifle her sounds of merriment. David immediately shut the door, locking it as well. He wanted to take no chances. The good news was that Monobear had done his vanishing act again, so he was now alone. Well, almost- Cass banged on the wooden barrier that separated them. "C'mon Davey, we'll be late for breakfast," she said, her voice low and muffled.

"Give me...a minute." David called, rushing to his drawer to pull out a black shirt and pair of pants. Thinking to take a shower when he got back, he opened the front door again to see Cass with a small antique camera.

"Cheese." There was a flash, and the photo popped out of the long slot on the bottom of the camera. Cass held its tip delicately, giving it a shake as she smirked at David. "You might be fully dressed now, but surprised faces can be just as funny."

David glared at her, his hands balled into fists. "Where'd you even get a camera?"

"I finally used my Mono-coin. It was a great purchase, eh?" Because the device was strung up on a strap across her shoulder and midsection, she let if fall against her hip. "Don't ask me how it fit into the capsule."

"How much stuff did he say was in that machine?" David asked as the two started towards the cafeteria.

"Apparently a whole bunch of stuff. Bryon found a DVD the other day and Libbie got an old shoe." Cass frowned. "I suppose a lot of it's random, I mean you got a bottle of bubbles-"

"-I've been meaning to give that away to someone." David interjected, embarrassed. "Maybe Peggy will take it…"

"Not going to lie to you, it's a pretty cheap looking brand. I wouldn't give something second-rate away, it's rude."

David groaned. "I'm not trying to keep it!"

"Honestly, you don't have to be such a grouch. It's a child's toy, and there's no need to get all upset over it," Cass said, smiling as they reached the cafeteria. "Or are you having more fun with it than you want to admit?

"I-I haven't even opened it." David claimed, distraught. As it were, many other students were "late" to breakfast as well. The only ones currently sitting at the dining table were Libbie and Kathie, deep in excited conversation, as well as Charles and Norris, who were regarding each other warily. When David and Cassandra approached the table, they heard a cacophony erupting from within the kitchen. "What's going on in there?" David inquired.

"The usual," Norris answered, yawning. "Peggy's cooking, but she always makes a big mess."

"Hey Norris, how'd the guarding go last night?" Cass asked, sitting down.

The bouncer shrugged. "I miss the club lights and techno music, but I got pretty used to the solitude. No one came out of their room and nothing weird happened, so there's that. I'm just waiting on Peggy so I can get some chow and go to sleep."

"Yeah, I'd suspect you'd be pretty tired. That's why I'm dreading when it's my turn…"

"Turn?" Norris turned to her, an eyebrow cocked. "Thought I was doin' this every night."

"_Every_ night, Norris?" asked David, slightly dumbfounded. "No one really expected you to do this constantly."

"I was under that impression. It's not like I mind," Norris replied nonchalantly. "If anything it'll make me feel more useful."

"But you're more useful than I am," David said with a small smile. "All I've really been doing is shuffling around. I should be helping the others look for a way out."

"Well, 'should be' and actually doing something are two different things, bud." Norris answered, watching as Peggy left the kitchen with a tray loaded with bacon and eggs. "My philosophy is to do what you always say you'd do."

"He's got ya there," Cass said. Charles, avoiding conversation, grunted and grabbed two slices of bacon, leaving the cafeteria. "I'll see you guys later," he mumbled on his way out.

Norris actually took the time to eat a full plate of the meal before standing. "Thank Peggy whenever she comes back. Later." He vanished beyond the doors of the cafeteria, his form being replaced with those of the missing students, who smelled the food. David and Cass however, were just finishing up their plates and clearing them off the table (while Libbie and Kathie started their second helping).

After they were disposed of, Cass grabbed David's arm and yanked hard, pulling him down to her height. "Meet me in the classroom you woke up in in seven minutes," she whispered harshly. She walked on ahead, pushing through the crowd of bodies entering the lunchroom. David blinked, then stalked after her, accidentally tripping on James' foot.

"You alright there, bud?" The skydiver asked, looking concerned. "You seem out of it."

"I'm fine. 'Scuse me." David gave him a pat on the back and absconded. The halls were empty.

_She moves fast_, he thought, checking his watch. A little under a minute had already passed. He decided to move on to the classroom, but took his time. This was one of the few times he walked the corridor alone, so he enjoyed setting his own pace. He only wished the windows weren't barred shut, so he could also partake in some of the nice scenery of the outside. However it wouldn't be anything he was used to...he'd only seen Destiny's Hope, not Hope's Peak. He was sure it was beautiful, but he still ached to see any kind of familiar surroundings. He desperately hoped he really wasn't spending the rest of his life here, and that this was some sick joke that the Mastermind didn't know how to end.

As it were, he ended up in front of the classroom door one minute early. Seeing no harm in going ahead inside, he entered to see Cassandra standing in a dark corner of the room, behind the teacher's desk. She was upset.

"You were supposed to wait! Now my dramatic entrance is ruined!" She pouted, leaving the corner and flipping on a light switch that illuminated that area of the classroom. "You've always got to be doing something, huh?"

"Are you going to tell me why I'm here or am I going back to sleep?" David replied, bored.

Cass narrowed her eyes. "Don't get sassy with me, mister. New confidence doesn't give you the right to-" David cut her off with an annoyed glare, and she paused. "Fine. You feel useless, right? Well now you won't be. I need your help."

"With what?" He asked carefully.

Cass scoffed, offended. "Nothing bad! In fact, it's what many of the others are doing. Looking for a way out."

"I don't think I'd be any good at that," David dismissed the notion with a flick of his hand. "Then again, I don't really have anything else to do."

"Please, you and I share an eye for detail. It's something that comes with being a SHSL Web Designer." Cass said authoritatively. "And, like you said, you have nothing else to do. The rules state we can explore at our leisure."

"Yeah, but not _really_." David answered, gesturing to the door. "We have stairs and an elevator we can't use. There's bound to be more stuff in this school, but we're restricted to the first floor."

"There must be a reason for that, then." Cass said. "At the very least, we can find a way to get past those gates."

"AH AH AH. No you don't!"

Cass jumped as Monobear appeared on top of a student desk. David flinched- it happened right next to him. "I swear, one of these days…"

"You kids and your dumb ideas!" Monobear growled. "You cannot destroy school property! And those gates won't come down until I bring 'em down, or unless you had a ton of dynamite. But I'm not having an explosives expert in here again…"

"What?"

"You will gain access to the top floors when I'm good and ready to let you do so! That is all." Monobear disappeared behind the desk as the pair stared at where he was standing, once again, annoyed beyond belief.

"Can't make anything easy, can he?" Cass shook her head, sitting atop the cluttered teacher's desk. She flicked a piece of dirt off her skirt absentmindedly. "I guess if we can't do that, we'll have to take other measures. I kind of expected that, to be honest."

"Then why not start with that instead of the first idea?" David questioned.

"I wanted to at least try. Couldn't hurt." She bit her lip in thought. "But now, we're brought to a new plan. We investigate what we can and go from there. That's why I brought you in here." Cass stretched her leg in front of her, reaching into her boot and pulling out a pencil and her familiar little notebook. She flipped to a new page and tapped the lead of her pencil against the blank paper. "Tell me what you can remember. Before you entered the school, when you woke up, and anything in between." She looked up, her eyes eager for information. "Anything at all."

David's muscles clenched and he looked at the ground shamefully. "That's just it. I can't remember much. Nothing out of the ordinary, either."

Cass's expression remained unchanged. "Then tell me what you can."

He sighed, then closed his eyes, concentrating. He thought back to the last few days, skipping over Monobear, meeting the students, and everything else insignificant. He replayed the scene where he woke up in this very classroom, being met by Wendell and Peggy. "You say...the rest of you woke up in the room next to this one?" David asked slowly, seeking clarification. Cass emitted a sound of approval. "Okay. Well, besides me being alone, the only other thing out of the ordinary was that there was only one student desk in here."

"Okay. That was noted." Cass still looked hungrily at him. "Alright. Tell me about before you entered Destiny's Hope."

"Oh. I guess the weird thing about that is, I don't remember actually stepping foot inside the school." David clasped his hands tightly, his thoughts formulating more fluidly now. "I was just about to, and...I remember I saw this jet flying by, and I thought it was strange, but I didn't think anything of it-"

"-And you blacked out, right?" Cass finished, writing. "Same here. But for me, I had just opened the front doors. Seems I made it a little farther than you, huh?"

"There's got to be a discerning factor right?" David asked. "Do you know if anyone else made it inside before passing out?"

"I'm pretty sure if they did, they didn't have time to look at the architecture." Cass responded dryly. "That's not the issue. How can someone knock a group of students out cold at roughly the same time? Well, not really the same time...more like, the same event that each would experience?"

"Because there's similarities in _when_ we lost consciousness, then that could give us an important clue. There might've been a tripwire we activated without noticing or...someone inside emitted some kind of gas as they saw us approaching or entering the school." David hoped that that wasn't the case, as it would mean the school had already been hijacked.

Wait- hijacked?

"When exactly did Monobear take over the school?" David wondered aloud. Cass glanced up at him, her eyes lighting up. "Think about it. Monobear said he for sure took over Destiny's Hope as well as Hope's Peak, and that'd explain why we got knocked out. But when did that happen? You'd think that'd be all over the news, and then our parents wouldn't have sent us here."

"You're...right," Cass breathed incredulously. "And if the school needed some kind of assistance from a terrorist attack, they could easily send out an S.O.S. or...some kind of contact. There's no way you can get rid of a whole school full of people, and that quietly. There's something huge going on here, and it's much bigger than Monobear."

"We should be discussing this with the others, and get their opinion." David started towards the door, but Cass beat him to it, blocking it with her body. "C-Cassandra?"

"I don't...think we should go to them, yet," she asserted, an unsure expression across her face.

David cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"I just said this is bigger than Monobear. This is like...a conspiracy. That's probably not the best way to put it but...this is too complicated to be a joke. I know that now. That means that the Mastermind controlling Monobear has power, and can identify with us to better conceal his identity." She let out a heavy breath. "I think there's a traitor among us."

"What, like a student planning to kill? I'm telling you, no one's going to try-"

"No. The Mastermind. He's...either one of us, or working with one of us. Now this is speculation, but what better way to keep tabs on the social bonds of a group than to have a mole? Video cameras can only do so much." She crossed her arms. "We can only hope I'm wrong, and that a potential traitor wouldn't try anything, but we also can't rule out the possibility."

David narrowed his eyes, his muscles clenching again. "This whole thing is...crazy. I w-won't allow...the thought-"

"-We can hope and wish all we want, but the truth is that people get nutty if they're confined for too long." Cass interjected. "And I get the feeling Monobear is only going to push the idea of mutual killing onto us as our time here draws longer." She paused, then gave him a small grin. "Plus, I don't want to spend the rest of my life here with him and his…_steam flatulence._"

David cracked a smile. "I see your point. But all we can do for the others is continue to be there for them, and trust them. That's the most important thing."

"Agh, you and your trust. It seems to be working for the most part...some of these kids are making real friendships, at least." Cass pursed her lips. "I suppose it's refreshing."

"Friendships aren't so bad. I'm your friend, right?" David asked innocently.

"I guess," was her reply, along with a joking eye roll. That, and a marble quickly thrown at the Web Designer's forehead.

David cried out in pain, rubbing his temple. "Were you serious about that?"

"Obviously!" She laughed. "Cass, one. David, zero."

The pair left the classroom, still the only ones in the hall.

"What time is it?" Cass asked. David checked his watch, then indicated that it was 12:02. "Most of everyone are probably still at breakfast. Er...lunch. That's perfect."

"Perfect? For what?" David questioned, not trusting Cass's easygoing smile.

"We're going to look this place over. It's time to start properly investigating. Might take us a few days but, I think we'll find something." Cass extended her arms in front of her, stretching her limbs. "Hmm, it's been a while. And maybe you won't feel so useless after we get some work done."

David grumbled, but didn't react, simply asking "Where do we start?"

"We'll search the infirmary for now. If we cover significant ground each day, we can finish the floor by the end of the week." She pumped a fist in the air. "We'll find a way out of here, I'm sure of it!"

"The infirmary's a good idea. I needed to check some things out anyway." David muttered, referring to the supplies Bryon took for the performance he was planning. The comedian probably did want to use them for entertainment purposes, but he couldn't ignore the possibility that the guy wanted to kill. Any one of them could snap, and he'd hate to get blown to hell after a goofy red-head concocted some devious scheme. "Let's go."

Getting to the infirmary was easy, but a thorough search would be harder. The medical cabinet was still chock full of stuff, and there was the filing cabinet next to it to go through. He knew the refrigerator was full of chilled medicine and blood bags, so that added to the list.

"It'll be better to start off small." Cass suggested, walking towards the filing cabinet. "This isn't very big, so I'll look in here. You get the fridge. Then we'll tackle the medicine cabinet together."

David nodded, then crossed the room towards the miniature fridge that sat on the floor. Opening it, he first saw the blood bags lying in piles on the bottom shelf, sealed bottles and vials on the top shelf. They were all of similar colors, varying in height and size. He chose one at random and read the label, noting that it was a type of insulin. Looking back inside, a particular vial caught his eye, located near the back. He parted the other medicines and retrieved it, seeing the black X marked over the cap. He read the label and gasped. "Infused hemlock?!"

"Hemlock?" Cass stopped flipping through the folders in the filing cabinet, regarding the vial in his hand with a cautious glance.

"Arsenic...cyanide…" David continued reading the labels of the bottles in the back of the fridge, his panic increasing in with each one. "Some of these I've never even...what's strychnine?"

"Is that tetrodotoxin?" Cass said, amazed. "Interesting, that's a venom in pufferfish. It has to be taken out before you can eat the fish, obviously. Monobear sure gets around, only proves our Mastermind is pretty wealthy…"

"I feel sick" was David's reply. He stood up on shaky legs. "I think I'm done. Fridge full of medicine and poison, got it."

"We can't just leave it here, David!" Cass objected. "Someone could use it and it'd be very hard tracing who did it."

David didn't want to admit it, but she was correct. It was too dangerous to leave behind, but also to dangerous to dispose of without the utmost care. One mistake and they could die. One slip-up and they'd be exposed to any of the particularly nasty stuffs.

"If I'm honest, the only option is to hide it."

He had Cass's attention now. "Sounds good. I doubt Monobear would let us drain it, anyway. Any ideas where?"

"Do they have to be kept cold? If so, our options are slim."

David brought up a good point, one that had Cassandra's mind in conflict. "No way we can keep it in the kitchen. I doubt Peggy is vying for our heads, but she's our resident cook…"

"We need another fridge, or somewhere cold. A cold room could work, possibly." David sighed. "Nowhere here really fits that bill."

"Then we may just have to take a gamble and stick 'em somewhere." Cass said, losing her patience. "We could put them in my room?"

"And have them go bad and like… I don't know, explode when it gets hot? No thanks. We need a neutral place." David could feel a lightbulb over his head suddenly. "The store! It's so cluttered in there there's no way anyone's going to try and look for it, plus Monobear's machine is all anyone uses that room for. We could hide it behind or under some artifact on a shelf or something."

Cass stayed silent for a minute, then nodded. "It's risky, but it could work. We'll have to remember where we place it so we can check on the stockpile periodically, but then it's out of plain sight and away from where anyone can use it. But first-" She turned back to the filing cabinet, which had a drawer open full of folders. "Check this out."

David took his place at her side, watching her fingers fan through the folder tabs until she found what she was looking for. She pulled it out and handed it to him, and he read through it's contents. On the first page was a picture of Dustin, and underneath that was his basic medical history. Standard information for a school to have.

"Monobear's just letting us have access to it?" The Web Designer asked curiously.

Cass nodded. "The rest of them are for the other students. You're in here, too." She retrieved another folder and gave it to him. He started browsing through his history, recounting the time he was hospitalized for an allergic reaction to his cousin's dog. He chuckled. "That wasn't fun."

"I think it'll be safe to keep these here. There's nothing that a murderer could use to his advantage," Cass surmised, replacing the folders and closing the cabinet. The pair then decided to check the large medicine cabinet, finding nothing dangerous (like poison) and keeping tabs on it's contents, so they'd know if something were to go missing. Cass kept stock in her notebook, also writing down the poisons and their amount before collecting an armful to transport. "Let's hurry. I don't want to explain to the others why we're carrying lethal toxins juuuuust yet."

After the pair moved quickly and quietly to the store (thankfully devoid of students), they stuck the poisons in a random place and made sure to cover them up with large pieces of random junk. They situated it to hide the poisons efficiently and also make it seem like the room hadn't been touched. But while doing so, David came across a special surprise.

"H-hey…" he was elbow deep in a pile and plushies, feeling around on the floor for the cold piece of metal that brushed against his skin. He found it, then pulled it out of the pile. "Another Mono-coin."

"And we're already in the store...the Mono-Machine is right over there." Cass grinned, extending an arm towards the infamous contraption. "Maybe you'll get more bubbles?"

"Yeah...maybe," David said slowly, oblivious to her sarcastic comment. He made his way slowly to the machine, thinking about what he could get. Hopefully it'd be something he could use. He stuck the coin in the slot, and the machine shook violently before spitting out a small orange capsule. He opened it to see a DVD case, painted with a picture of Monobear floating in space. The title was "_**Monobear's Miscapades: A Space Journey.**_"

"Ew." David scrunched up his nose. "I just have an affinity for winning junk."

"C'mon, this could be entertaining." Cass grabbed the DVD from him, giving it a look. After a moment, she returned it with a small smile. "Definitely worth a laugh, you should hang on to it."

He snorted. "Hardly. This looks like a mess."

"We could have a movie night?"

David paused, his jaw dropping slightly. He turned to his companion skeptically. "J-just the two of us?"

Cass blushed. "No, I mean...we could watch it with the rest of the group. Make a big event out of it. Who knows, everyone might have fun?"

David nodded, relaxing. "That wouldn't be so bad. Okay, we'll go and tell them about it. There's some time left before dinner so we can set up pretty easily."

Cass agreed with a beaming smile, then started towards the door. After two steps, however, she stopped and turned around. "What would've been so bad about spending a night alone, huh?"

She laughed as David choked, not coming up with an answer, and the two left.


End file.
